A New Family for Chris
by westernmelody
Summary: An old enemy, Ella Gaines reenters Chris' life. Ella informs Chris they had a child when they were teenagers and her father gave up the child for adoption. Is Ella delusional or is there any truth to her story? The Magnificent Seven are determined to help Chris solve this mystery.
1. Chapter 1

Chris Larabee sat in his office, chair leaned back and feet propped up on his desk. It felt good to relax after a hard case. He could see through the open window most of his team relaxing and smiling.

He took a long look at Ezra, whose last two undercover assignments had taxed him to the point of exhaustion and was surprised to see Ezra watching, but without disapproval, the antics of his youngest agent, the Kid, as everyone called him.

After going through several temp techs, most of who quit after one week; Travis was fed up until he met and recommended one John Daniel Dunne. JD, as the cocky kid asked to be called, quickly proved his technical acumen and his cherubic face, cheery nature and youthful appearance; his smaller size invoked a feeling of protectiveness among most of the agents. JD had been firm with both Chris and Travis that he wanted not to always be a tech but a full field agent. After a few weeks of brilliance in his computer expertise and his charm, Travis realized the team would not gel with any of the other techs and had agreed to Agent-In-Training status for the nineteen-year-old. The fact that JD, as the youngest, was the obvious choice for checking on the compliance of cigarette and alcohol laws didn't hurt JD's request. In fact, the other teams, after expressing their derision for JD's hire and Travis' mind, suddenly wanted to "borrow" the Kid for their undercover tasks; something Chris put his foot down on when the requests became too frequent.

Buck Wilmington, the first one to "adopt" the Kid was watching with amusement JD's chewing on bubblegum and seeing how big he could make his bubbles without popping. He was jiggling his right leg to the music in his IPOD. Buck would try to knock JD's hat off, and JD would shoot rubber bands at him.

Chris was relieved and happy to see Buck so light-hearted after the years Buck had devoted to saving Chris from himself. 'You deserve happiness, my good friend,' Chris thought and if having a teenager for Buck to nag and bicker with did that, Chris would keep his doubts about JD's youth to himself for now.

Josiah and Nathan, shaking their heads, were nevertheless amused with JD's antics. Vin, also, was more relaxed since JD came abroad though Buck's moniker of "Junior" for Vin stuck, he was several years older than JD and enjoyed the youth's enthusiasm for life.

JD found a fan in Vin almost immediately as he noticed that Vin's dyslexia hampered him in getting his reports done quickly. JD would quickly scan and fix errors and with bringing in chocolate for snacks, won Vin over immediately.

Josiah looked up to catch Chris' eye and a quick motion and left his desk to come into the office and shut the door.

"He's just a teenager, Chris, and he's been working hard," Josiah started to defend JD.

Chris actually smiled. "Not JD I'm concerned about. It's Ezra."

Josiah turned his chair to study Ezra. "Hmmm."

"I don't understand Ezra's reaction to JD's, ahem, childishness. He seems almost to be drinking it in."

Josiah put his finger to his chin thoughtfully. "While I was profiling serial killers and the evil they inflicted on their victims and felt myself getting cynical, I would go to a park and watch the innocent children play."

"So Ezra is soaking in the innocence and enthusiasm of JD to cope with the evil of his last two cases."

"Yes."

"Thanks, Josiah."

"Nice to see you relaxed, too, Chris," Josiah smiled as he left the office. "Oh, don't worry, I'll keep your secret."

Chris wadded up a piece of paper and threw it at a retreating Josiah. He went back to the report when Susan, one of the secretarial pool, stuck her blonde head in the door. "Chris?" Her southern accent was always pleasing to him. "This package just

special delivery, along with this vase with the red rose."

"You sure it isn't for me, Miss Susan?" Buck grinned, while Susan flushed slightly and then left the office.

Buck, true to form, watched her exit. "What a looker."

"She's been warned about you, Buck. All the women have been."

"Just makes it more of a challenge, Stud. Hey!" He yelped as another rubber band hit home. "JD!" He left to try to corner his young partner.

"Damn!" The curse and the sound of breaking glass stopped each man.

"Chris?" Buck was the first to reach the office, seeing a light in Chris' eyes he had not seen in years.

Chris growled, holding up a small blue bootie and Buck took the note accompanying it.

Buck read in disbelief, "It's time for us to be the family we were meant to be. You, my love, and our son. Ella."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Still rattled by the note, Buck looked at Vin, who nodded, acknowledging he would watch Chris while Buck went to talk to JD, who was totally bewildered by the scene, as he was the only one who did not know about Ella Gaines.

After explaining about Ella and Chris' relationship years ago, and Ella's obsession with Chris, JD nodded that he understood.

JD nodded to Buck and then went to his computer, typing furiously. He printed out something that Josiah, nearer the printer, picked up and read to the group. "Ella Gaines is still in Hillsdale, a step up from the mental hospital she was in for several years," Josiah read.

Buck went back to the office to see Vin trying to calm Chris down.

"When is this going to end, Buck?" Chris growled. "After all these years, and she still isn't out of my life."

"You know she has been obsessed with you, Chris, for years."

"A baby bootie! I haven't been with her since we were teenagers, Buck!"

"Maybe this confirms how unstable Ella is," Vin suggested. "There is no way she has a baby with Chris."

"If she did get pregnant, she never told me," Chris said. "And I didn't date her after I met Sarah."

"The child would be a teenager, now, Chris. This was 17 - 20 years ago. Right?" Buck asked.

Chris thought back. "I saw her on and off for 3 years, Buck. She would have told me."

"Did she sleep around?" Josiah asked as he joined the others.

Chris' head jerked around. Buck looked sharply at Josiah.

"You and Ella broke up and made up several times over those years," Buck reminded Chris. "Ella was not the good girl type."

"One time she told me she had found a man better than me in everything," Chris said as he rubbed the back of his head. "But I knew nothing about him. I thought it was a ploy to make me jealous. But she never said anything else."

"Maybe the man saw through her and dumped her," Vin suggested.

"Well, then, he was smarter than I was – not seeing through her for three years!" Chris snapped as he stormed into his office and slammed the door, with Vin looking regretful.

"Don't worry about it, Vin," Buck said, patting his shoulder. Chris was wild then, and he knew Ella was, too. It was a rebellious period for both. And Ella's family didn't like Chris, which made it a challenge. They even sent Ella away for a while to break them up. And then Chris met Sarah . . ." for a moment Buck had a faraway look in his eyes. "And Ella never stood a chance after that."

"Was that when she was sent to the Crestmont Mental Health Center?" Nathan asked.

"Well . . . . " Buck started but then Chris slammed out of his office and said curtly, "I'm going to the saloon. The rest of you can stay until five."

"Want company, Chris?" Vin asked.

"No!"

"Give him some time, Vin," Buck suggested. "Go there after five."

Josiah looked over at Buck. "What were you going to say?"

Buck sighed. "No. Ella went into the mental health center after she went after Sarah and tried to kill her."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

At J. Watsons, Inez Recillos watched with concern as Chris sat in the Seven's usual corner, drinking heavily. She called Buck and Buck told her they would be there in a few minutes. Buck had warned the others not to say anything to Chris about what he had told them about Ella trying to kill Sarah.

Vin was the first one to slid in the booth, saying as usual, "Hey, Cowboy."

"Are you all right, Chris?" Nathan asked with concern, looking at Chris' bloodshot eyes.

A growl was the only answer Chris gave.

Josiah and Ezra sat down quietly. Inez came over and gave them their usual drinks. "Where is the chiquito?" she asked.

"He'll stayed at the office; he'll be here in a few minutes," Buck reassured her.

Inez took their orders, the usual, and when the food came, all tried to get Chris to eat. After Nathan, Buck and Vin ganged up on him, he agreed, eating without noticing what he was eating.

"You know we'll all help you, Chris," Buck said. "Everyone will work until we get Ella and expose her lies.

"What if it is true, Buck?" Chris said morosely. "What if Ella was pregnant with my child? What if she has corrupted the child, made him just like her? Damn!" And Chris threw his glass down with such force it broke. He pushed his hair back from his head. "If Ella had been Adam's mother . . ."

"She wasn't," Buck said quickly. "And Ella has been in a mental institution for years . . . she couldn't have raised the child."

"And speaking of children, where is JD?" Chris grumbled as he noticed for the first time his youngest agent was not around.

Buck had to bite down a retort that JD was not a child, reminding himself that this was the liquor talking and not Chris. "He is back in the office, searching on the computer . . ."

"He'll be over later," Josiah said. "He feels – like we all do, that we will use every resource to solve this for you and get Ella out of your life once and for all."

For a moment Chris met the eyes of every concerned man at the booth. He saw simply compassion and determination. He acknowledged this with a slight nod as he met the gaze of each one.

Chris' phone rang and rang and he picked it up and barked, "Larabee!"

No answer, and he snapped, "Talk or I'll hang up."

A breathy voice he had not heard in years came through on the phone.

"Chris?"

Chris stood up so suddenly the other men were startled. "Ella!" He yelled.

"Stop calling me and sending me anything and leave me alone!"

"Chris, we have to talk, we need to talk about our child . . ." Ella got out before Chris slammed the phone down.

"Chris, let me see the phone number," Nathan said sharply and he simply pushed the number. The phone rang and rang, but no answer.

"Chris, maybe you should talk if she calls again so we can put a trace on the call," Ezra suggested tentatively.

Chris' anger was raging. "I am never talking to her. I don't want to see her!"

JD showed up just then and felt the anxiety in the men. He slid in the booth beside Buck.

"JD, what did you find?" Vin asked.

JD bit his lip, looking at the fuming Chris. "I . . . I am sorry, Chris. Some of her medical records were lost in a fire, but it seems . . . it seems Ella was pregnant at least twice. And . . . the time frame is from 18 – 20 years ago."

From a phone booth nearby, Ella Gaines smiled. "I know it will take you time, darling. But nothing and no one will stop us from being a family, you, me and our child."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chris smashed several glasses before Vin and Buck dragged him out the door and JD stared wide-eyed at the commotion. Ezra apologized to Inez and gave her a generous check to cover any damage.

Nathan had wanted to treat Chris' cuts; but a look from Buck stopped him.

Buck whispered to Nathan they needed to get to the ranch. Nathan slipped a sleeping pill into Buck's hand. Josiah kept JD in the diner to keep him from seeing Chris self-destructing.

From a nearby car, Ella Gaines watched the action with a telescope. She was not happy to see Chris upset, and angry to see Buck and another man helping Chris. "Buck," she hissed. "You helped keep him from me once and Ella never forgets."

Ella watched the younger one she thought might be Vin Tanner as he put his arms around Chris, trying to calm him down.

"Vin Tanner, right?" She turned to the men in the front seat.

"Yes, Miss Gaines, he is . . ." one man started before Ella cut him off sharply.

"I told you not to call me that, my name is Ella Larabee!"

"Sorry, ma'am," the larger man looked over his partner and shrugged.

"I am paying you very well to help me, Stuart and Bill, but only if you help me get Chris and my son back!" She shouted.

"We will," both assured her and she calmed down.

"Chris needs to understand the consequences of ignoring me," Ella seethed.

Ezra and Josiah came out while JD stayed in, talking to Inez.

"Get them!" Ella commanded and while she ducked down, the black car without the lights turned off sped up. Josiah and Ezra heard a car speeding but by that time it was too late. Josiah threw Ezra to the side and the car roared past Josiah, knocking him to the ground.

Ezra screamed, "Josiah!" while running to his friend and simultaneously dialing 911.

"No!" JD yelled as he came out of the saloon to see Ezra kneeling by an unmoving Josiah. "Ezra, is Josiah going to be all right?"

"An ambulance is coming, JD," Ezra said while looking over an unconscious Josiah. "Thank heaven the miscreant did not hit Josiah full on or he probably would be dead."

JD knelt by Josiah, and pulled off his jacket to cover Josiah.

"Did you get a good look at the car, Ezra?" JD asked, kicking into agent mode.

Ezra shook his head. "It was a dark car and the headlights were off. Josiah pushed me aside and then it hit him. He saved my life," and Ezra choked up.

The siren of police cars and an ambulance brought a sigh of relief to Ezra and Josiah.

Something blew onto JD's chest and he looked at it, then threw it away as if it were a rattlesnake, and started to shake.

"JD, what is it?"

"It was a lacy handkerchief," the youth got out, trembling. "It has the initials, EL."


	5. Chapter 5

Ezra had the unpleasant task of calling the ranch and Nathan answered. "How's Chris?"

"In his room, hopefully sleeping," Nathan sighed. "Vin keeps checking on him."

"Nathan," Ezra began.

The alarms bells rang in Nathan's head. "Where are you? What has happened and to who?"

That got the attention of Buck and Vin, coming out of Chris' room.

"I'm in the hospital, a car ran into Josiah as he knocked me out of the way. Tell Buck JD is okay; he was talking to Inez."

Buck stopped trying to grab the phone from Nathan as Nathan relayed the information to Buck and Vin.

Ezra went on with a sigh. "When JD ran out of the Saloon and we were checking Josiah, a lacy handkerchief blew into JD's lap. It had the initials, EL. Tell Buck JD is shaken up as he thinks the miscreants were trying to kill me or both of us."

"We're coming, Ezra." Nathan hung up the phone, saying "Vin, I think you should here with Chris and don't tell him anything yet. Buck and I will see what kind of condition Josiah is and we'll call you."

Ezra sighed as he reentered the waiting room where JD's hands were still shaking as he tried to sip his coffee.

"Buck and Nathan are coming right away; Vin is staying to watch Chris."

JD nodded, but then he suddenly said. "Ezra, the initials said EL not EG."

"My dear boy, Ella Gaines expects to be Ella Larabee. It's clear she has deluded herself into believing she has future with Mr. Larabee and this suspicious child."

"Is that why she tried to kill Sarah?"

"Mr. Larabee is not in the habit of sharing his personal life. He gets quite angry if anyone asks. He probably shared with Buck and Vin."

"What if Chris does have a child with Ella? I didn't know my father, but my mother was loving and caring. If Ella had been my mother." and JD shivered then blushed as he looked at Ezra, knowing Ezra's mother was nothing like JD's mother.

Ezra was amused as he watched JD trying to be nonchalant, convinced he had hurt Ezra's feelings. "I wonder if I would be any better if raised by Ella and not Maude. A mother that was never there or a crazy mother." And then he smiled at JD to let JD know he was not offended.

Wide-eyed and with an innocent face, JD suggested, "Maybe you can be Ella's child. Then Chris would be your father and Ella your mother."

Ezra actually sputtered some coffee out. "My dear boy, if that were to happen, I would insist that you be adopted as my little brother."

"It wouldn't work, Ezra," Buck boomed as he entered the room, sitting by JD and ruffling his hair. "Kid's mine and you know it."

Ezra shuddered. "Heaven forbid this delightful young man would be corrupted by your boorish behavior and endless philandering."

Buck's retort was stopped as JD asked about Josiah.

"I don't know," Ezra admitted. "He never regained consciousness. I know he's bruised, but not if anything was out of alignment in the skeleton department."

"Ezra, do you think you were the one the car was after? Could it be because of the criminals you helped put away?" Buck suggested.

The pain on Ezra's face gave Buck the answer.

Nathan, who had been checking on Josiah, said, "Josiah seems to be doing as well as can be expected. He has a concussion, numerous bruises and abrasions, but fortunately nothing is broken. The concussion is the main worry at this time."

"I'll let Vin know," and Ezra stepped out of the room.

"He feels guilty about Josiah getting hurt pushing Ezra out of the way," JD informed the others.

"I could believe it was someone after Ezra if not for the handkerchief," Buck said.

"Why would Ella try to hurt Josiah?" JD asked.

"She's crazy, JD, she doesn't have a logical reason."

The young man went over to sit down on the couch, Buck following and putting an arm around him. "It's okay, Son," he soothed as JD leaned into him.

They were not the only ones in the waiting room. There was a woman of middle age, dabbing her nose; a man with his head down, keeping to himself. As the doctor came in, the woman got up as she was checking on her son. JD was soon napping against Buck's shoulder as Buck ran his hand through JD's dark hair. Ezra stared out the window. Ezra was still not convinced that he was the target and Josiah saved him at his own expensive.

Nathan, after conferring with the doctor, entered the room with a smile on his face. "Josiah is very, very, lucky. He will be very sore with abrasions and bruises, but nothing broken. He does have a concussion and Dr. Edge is watching him."

"Can we see him?" Ezra asked.

"Maybe for a moment. Someone should call Vin as well. Ezra, would you do that? Buck, I'll take you to Josiah's room."

Buck gently shook the sleeping JD. "Come on, Son. You're a teenager, supposed to have more energy than anyone."

JD's eyes did not open.

"Buck, let him sleep. He's been badly shaken by all this. I'll step out and call Vin and then come back. If JD is awake, we'll take him to see Josiah."

Reluctantly, Buck eased JD off his shoulder and laid him curled up on his side. He took off his coat and put it over JD. No one else was in the room at the time.

Vin was greatly relieved that Josiah would be all right. He let Ezra know that Chris was still asleep, though restless.

"So is JD," Ezra laughed.

"Why don't one of you stay with Josiah and the rest come out here. Chris will have to know and we will need to plan our strategy."

"I'll stay with Josiah," Ezra said still feeling guilty about Josiah being hurt.

While Ezra was busy talking to Vin, the man from earlier in the corner had eased up to JD and pushed the dark hair back. He pulled out a needle and gently pushed it into the boy's arms. JD didn't stir and the man put a note in Buck's pocket and pulled the sleeve down and ruffled his hair. "Sleep well, Kid," and he carefully walked out of the waiting room.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

To Buck and Nathan's relief, Josiah had regained consciousness, and though groggy, gave each man a brief smile.

"Good to see you awake, Big Man," Nathan teased.

"No car is going to stop our Superman," Buck agreed.

Josiah smiled and then frowned. "Ezra?"

"He's fine." Nathan's statement was backed up by a very concerned Ezra peeking in the door.

"Josiah," Ezra took the big man's hand. "I am eternally grateful to see your blue eyes again. I cannot ever thank you enough for saving my life."

"You would have done it for me, Ezra," Josiah murmured, closing his eyes briefly. "Chris?"

"Vin is with him, and both will be so happy to know you are awake."

Josiah smiled. "JD?"

"Asleep in the waiting room. That boy could sleep through an earthquake," Nathan shook his head.

Buck frowned. "Weren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on him, Ezra?"

"Relax, Buck, I checked on him before coming here, hoping for good news. He's still sleeping. The stress of Josiah getting hurt; the drama with the nefarious Ella; plus Chris losing his tough man image, has shaken him badly."

Nathan noticed Josiah was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He patted Josiah on the shoulder. "Rest well, my friend. Ezra is keeping you company tonight. The rest of us will go out and check on Chris. And we'll pick up Sleeping Beauty on the way," Nathan joked with relief.

Buck started to retort, then shook his head. "Rest well, Josiah. The good Lord must have been watching over you."

Ezra sat in the chair nearby as Buck and Nathan left.

"I dread breaking the news to Chris about Josiah. At least we can tell them Josiah woke up," Buck admitted.

Both entered the waiting room and smiled. JD lay sleeping, still curled up in Buck's coat. After a few moments of trying to rouse him, Buck just scooped him up as they left the hospital. Nathan drove his suburban and Buck stayed in the back seat with JD, sleeping against Buck's shoulder. On the way to the ranch, both men came up with theories of what was going on, if Ella had tried to kill either Ezra or Josiah, and what moves she was likely to make.

Not even attempting to rouse JD, Buck scooped him up again to deposit him on Chris' couch. "I'm gonna get my exercise touting you around, Kid." He shrugged when Vin looked at him in puzzlement. "I guess the energy of youth is exaggerated. Chris?"

"Still murmuring Ella's name. But I have been giving him strong coffee."

"Well the good news is that Josiah will be okay. Ezra stayed with him in the Hospital."

Nathan moved towards Chris' room. "Let me check on him, Vin. Why don't you get something to eat and drink."

"Good idea. Maybe the Kid will wake us and join us when he smells food," Buck smiled as he disappeared into the kitchen.

Vin sat down in a chair by JD. A few minutes later, Buck appeared with some sandwiches and coffee. "Here's the rest of this disgusting stuff you call coffee, Vin."

"I've been giving it to Chris," Vin responded.

"I'm going to get Chris up," Buck informed the others. "We need his help."

Soon sounds of running water and a string of curses coming from Chris, with unsympathetic responses from Buck and Chris calling Buck every name in the book.

Vin and Nathan shook their heads, Vin commenting, "I'll bet Buck has lots of practice with this."

About five minutes later, Chris, dressed in his robe, hair mussed and looking as mean as a grizzly, dropped into the recliner as Nathan gave him more coffee.

"Chris, you have to pull it together," Vin urged. "We all need your help."

"All?" Chris growled. "Ezra and Josiah are not here, and Sleeping Beauty there (pointing at JD) doesn't seem interested and excited about anything."

"Don't judge the Kid, a lot has happened while you were drowning your sorrows," Buck snapped, losing his patience.

Nathan said sharply, "We don't have time for this. Chris, after we left, Ezra and Josiah were walking outside when a black car with no lights on tried to run one or both of them down. Josiah was able to push Ezra out of the way, but the car scrapped him, knocking him down. Josiah is in the Hospital."

"What?" Chris yelled. "Is he . . . "

"He has a concussion, plus a lot of scrapes and bruises. Ezra is watching him now."

Chris didn't respond, just bent his head down for a moment in relief.

Vin continued, "JD was inside. When he saw what happened and ran to Josiah and Ezra, kneeling beside them, a lace handkerchief blew to him. It had the initials EL."

"Damn her! I wish I had never met her!" Chris exploded.

Buck kept turning his head from Chris to JD, who still had not moved, even with all of the commotion. Sitting by JD and pulling him up to his chest. "Nathan, are you sure JD is all right? Did you give him a sedative? He's been so still for so long."

Nathan, who had his hands full with Josiah and Chris frowned, "Ezra was watching him, Buck

No, I didn't give him a sedative, though I know he was very upset." Nathan scooted his chair over, ordering Vin to get his medical bag.

"Help me get his shirt off, Buck." Nathan ordered.

"What's this?" Vin asked, pointing to a bruise and a puncture wound on JD's left arm.

Nathan gave a growl that Chris would have been proud of. As Buck gave him the blood pressure cuff, eyes wide with fear, Nathan muttered, "His breathing is slow, his blood pressure is low, his heartbeats are also slow - it looks like he may have been drugged."

"What? What drug? Will he be all right?" Buck asked frantically while Vin and Chris looked on anger and concern.

"I don't know, Buck," Nathan said in frustration.

"How did someone get to him? Ezra was supposed to be watching him!" Buck yelled.

Buck threw his coat down in frustration and something fell out. Another lace handkerchief with the initials EL.

Vin was already dialing Josiah's room. When Ezra answered, Vin said abruptly, "JD has been drugged. Do you know how anyone got to him? Did you see anyone?"

"What the Hell were you doing, Ezra?" Buck hollered. "You let someone hurt the Kid!"

Ezra almost dropped the phone. "He was alone, I only left briefly to call Vin. I checked in on him . . ."

"Stop it!" Nathan screamed. "We need to find out what is wrong with JD."

Chris' phone rang and he barked, "Larabee."

"Chris?" Ella said breathlessly. "Did you get my message?"

"Damn you, Ella! You ran down one of my men and drugged the Kid! What did you give him?"

Vin grabbed Chris' arm and whispered, "Chris be nice and see if she will tell you what they gave JD."

Chris had to bite his tongue twice, but after staring at the motionless JD, he changed his voice. "Ella. I know you wouldn't hurt a child. JD's just a teenager and very important to all of us."

Surprisingly, they heard Ella yell at one of her associates. "I told you not to hurt the Kid! We don't hurt Kids! What did you do to him?"

Chris bit his lip, hoping while Buck held JD's head against his chest, and Nathan kept an eye on JD's vitals.

"They weren't trying to kill him, Chris," Ella said finally, trying to placate Chris. "They gave him an injection of Propofol."

"Propofol," Chris repeated to Nathan. "Thank you, Ella." He clicked the phone off.

Nathan nodded. "Hospital. I'll call it in – come on, his vitals are slowing."

"Is it . . . fatal, Nathan?" Buck asked, while carrying JD to Nathan's suburban.

"It was one of two drugs that resulted in Michael Jackson's death." Nathan said brusquely. "You give it to a patient before anesthesia. But we all know how JD reacts to any meds . . ."

Vin had slid into the driver's seat with Chris in the front seat as well.

Buck was holding and rocking JD like a baby, tears in his eyes. "I shouldn't have let him alone, Nathan. I should have watched him. It's my fault."

Chris, still hung over, but stricken that two of his agents were in danger. "Faster, Vin. How could she do this – have this done?"

Vin looked over at Chris briefly. "Josiah will be fine, and so will JD."

Exchanging a look through the rear view mirror with a grim-faced Nathan, Vin thought grimly. 'As long as we get there in time.'

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Ella Gaines slammed her phone down and turned to her well-paid henchman. The one that had given the injection to JD was still in hospital scrubs, and he was the one Ella directed her anger at.

"We don't hurt children!" Ella yelled. "I wanted you to monitor the hospital, see what the effect was from hitting their profiler!"

"Mrs. G . . . Larabee, the boy was the only one left alone, just briefly, but long enough for me to give the injection. It was not fatal; but intended to shake all of them up. Besides, you told me you hated Wilmington and that boy is his son. I heard Wilmington call him "son" several times."

Ella stomped over to him. "Buck Wilmington does not have a son. Chris did – with Sarah, but the child died along with Sarah in a car accident. And now I am the one to give Chris the son he always wanted."

For a moment, a brief smile crossed her face and she seemed in a trance. "Chris, can't you see how beautiful your son is? I knew we conceived a child. We were going to be the family I always wanted to be with you, Chris. You would have never met Sarah . . ." She stopped and twirled around the room, holding her arms as she would a baby. "Our sweet baby boy. . ."

The three henchman met the eyes of the other and shook their heads slightly.

"Mrs. Larabee?" The taller man with blond hair ventured. "Your child wouldn't be a baby. How old could the child be?"

"No, because my father robbed me of my time with my baby!" Ella snapped. "I hate him! He told me my baby died because he was premature! And when I had a breakdown, he took my son from me! I hate my father! I hate him! And if he wasn't already dead, I would kill him!" And Ella ran into her bedroom, crying hysterically.

Again, Bill, Stuart and the man in scrubs called Don looked at each other. "Do you believe she even has a child?" Bill asked.

"After all the years she spent in mental institutions, I don't know. Didn't she try to kill Larabee's wife?"

Stuart asked, rubbing his red hair.

"Yes. That's when she was locked up. And now that Larabee is a widower - maybe she was pregnant, lost a child, and is deluding herself that if she had a child, Larabee would marry her," Bill suggested.

"Fat chance," Don snorted. He spread some photos on the table. "Larabee is not the type to soften towards anyone that tried to hurt his dead wife. He is also very protective of his team. Wilmington apparently helped keep Ella from killing Sarah – so you know Ella hates him. That's why I thought she would happy with me giving them a scare about the kid – well, I thought he was Wilmington's son. They are very close, obviously. We got the profiler. oeWe don't need someone like that able to figure Ella out. We almost took out the undercover guy. He has to act so many parts, I don't like him walking around and thinking about the plan. The healer is too busy handling injuries to be of much use to them. The one that was helping Larabee out of the Saloon – Tanner – Larabee is very close to. It might be good for us to get him out of the way. Larabee is off limits; and apparently the kid, too."

"Why did you think he was Wilmington's son?"

"Come on! He looks about 14 or 15. He couldn't be one of the agents. And Wilmington was being so protective of him . . . . Larabee, too, I guess. In fact, the only time Larabee played nice with her was when he was trying to get information about what I gave the kid. Got to the profiler and the kid. They will be coming more and more unglued . . ." and then Don looked to the room where Ella was still sobbing. "Speaking of unglued . . ."

"Crazy or not, she is paying us a fortune to make this come true, so we have to."

"Yes. I don't plan to give up my share of the money. And if a son makes her happy, she'll get one. Even if I have to create one of my own," Stuart laughed.


	8. Chapter 8

JD was now in Josiah's room, hooked up to an IV and heart monitors. The nurses were monitoring his breathing and blood pressure, and had assured Buck they were only a precaution.

Everyone in the room knew that Buck would only be convinced when he saw JD's eyes open.

Josiah had been asleep as JD was brought in after being checked out; Nathan was going back and forth between Josiah and JD and the doctors;

Chris sat slumped with Vin beside him with his arm resting on Chris' shoulder.

Ezra, who had flinched under the condemning stare from Buck, when JD was wheeled in, steeled himself and walked over to the left side of JD, carding through his dark hair and squeezing his shoulder gently. "My dear boy, I would never had put you in any kind of danger had I known – I had stepped out for a minute or two, someone had to be watching us. I hope you will forgive me."

Buck straightened up, glaring at Ezra. "We are all so lucky it wasn't a fatal dose of another drug, Ezra. None of us were paying too much attention to JD – we just took it for granted he was sleeping – including me," Buck choked, moving his fingers through the dark hair. "We all were concerned about Josiah and," and he faltered.

"And me," Chris said flatly. "So we will not let this happen again. No one goes out alone. We know to take this seriously – and Ella has to have hired help."

"Only medical personnel have access to propofol. We could be dealing with someone in the medical profession," Nathan contributed.

"Why JD and why propofol?" Buck asked. He thrust his hands in his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. He read the note and swore. "Damn it!"

"What is it, Buck?" Vin asked.

Buck waved the paper, reading angrily. "We can get to your son, Wilmington."

"What?" Three voices chimed in as Vin snatched the paper, scanned it, and gave it to Ezra.

"What is it?" a groggy Josiah asked. He turned both ways, groaning as his head hurt, but eyes widen as he saw JD. "JD?"

Nathan leaned down. "JD will be fine. Someone gave him an injection of propofol when he was sleeping in the waiting room. Apparently, whoever did it thinks JD is Buck's son."

"Buck's son?" Josiah asked. "JD?"

JD's eyes began to flutter and he turned his head to each side. Softly, he murmured, "Dad. Why didn't you want me?"

The other men looked at each other, each stricken by the words. JD had never spoke about his father, only saying he never knew him, and to hear the plaintive words coming from JD as he looked so vulnerable in the cot, hurt each man profoundly.

Buck bent down to JD's ear. "You have all of us, JD. And any one of us would be happy to have you as a son. You make us all proud."

Each one echoed Buck's words and Chris told the kid, "If Adam grew up like you, I would be proud."

Another sigh came from JD. "Momma? Where are you, I can't see you."

"She'll always be with you, Son," Buck soothed.

JD seemed to find comfort with the words in his semi-dazed state and drifted off again.

Chris wiped his brow. A tear or two slipped from Buck's eyes..

"In vino veritas," Chris murmured.

"Or, in JD's case, with propofol, truth." Nathan added. "I didn't know JD was so hurt by his father's rejection. Whoever his father was, and if he ever knew who his father was."

"Poor lad," Josiah murmured.

"Josiah, are you up to helping us?" Vin asked.

"Get me up to speed with everything that was said and done after I was knocked out by the car and I will."

After hearing the story, Josiah said thoughtfully. "Interesting that Ella said she doesn't want children hurt. I guess she is unconsciously comparing every teenager to her "missing" child. Thank heaven she still seems to have a sense of honor there, for JD's and our sake."

Chris said sullenly, "So you think none of us are safe if I don't talk to her?"

"Until we can determine the truth, yes," Josiah said. "Chris, we need to know more about Ella. You, too, Buck. You are the only ones that know her."

Chris' eyes narrowed, but he said, "Ella and I were both wild in our teens, so we suited each other. She was exciting, unpredictable. I was rebelling against my father, a very strict policeman. Ella told me her father hated her and women in general. She had a brother who could do no wrong."

"Her father was very wealthy," Buck added. "Ruthless, she said. Possibly a criminal. She told me once her father told her the only use she can ever be to her was to bear a son he could train to inherit his empire." He looked apologetically over at Chris. "All right, I felt sorry for her. Being mistreated by your own father . . ."

"And her old man told her flatly he didn't want her marrying me because I was worthless," Chris said shortly. "And maybe that was part of my attraction to Ella – I'd show him."

"He had more contempt for me," Buck added. Seeing the started faces around him, he said, "Chris and I both dated her when we first met. But she clearly developed a love – well, an obsession with Chris. I think the only times she would see someone else was to punish Chris."

Vin took a deep breath. "Okay for the hard question. Chris, you and Ella were lovers? For about three years?"

Chris nodded. "And no, she told me she was on the pill."

"Do you know of anyone else she could have had sex with at that time?"

Nathan continued.

"There was "handsome" Jack Averill," Buck remembered. "He was older than us; dark-haired, mustache, tall. He had money, too, so Ella at least

noticed him. I think she probably did more than that when you would break up with her, Chris, as you did often."

Chris grunted. "Handsome" Jack. All looks and no substance. But yes, Ella taunted me about him. Said her father would approve of him."

"Can you think of anyone else during those 3-4 years?"

Silence.

"Then only two possibilities?" Nathan asked.

Buck had his head down as his cheeks turned red. Slowly, he looked over at Chris. "Three. A couple of times . . . a couples of times when I was drunk and she broke up with Chris . . . we were lovers."


	9. Chapter 9

Buck's announcement had startled the men in the room, Chris saying grimly: "Maybe Ella would be content with you as her love."

Buck smiled with relief that Chris was not angry. "No, thanks, Stud. The lady has her sights on you."

"She ain't no lady, Buck," Chris snapped.

"All right, you two," Ezra interjected. "Nathan, do you know when Josiah will be emancipated from this primitive hospital?"

There was a brief smile on Nathan's face at hearing Ezra back to spouting his long-winded words. "I'll have to check with the doctors. Even when he leaves, he will have to rest because of the concussion."

"And JD?"

The boy stirred, this time his hazel eyes blinked a few times but stayed open.

"Hey, sleepy-head," Buck teased, ruffling the dark hair.

JD was puzzled by being in a cot by Josiah and hooked up to monitors.

"Buck?" He questioned.

"You're going to be fine, JD, the machines were just a precaution. Do you remember anything?"

"I remember laying down in the waiting room, I was tired. Sometimes I could hear voices but like they were a long distance away. One time I was trying to wake up and one of you said something like, "Sleep well, Kid." And just before I felt a brief sting on my arm. I thought it was Buck, he ruffled my hair, too like Buck always does." JD didn't like the looks on the other men's faces. "Is Josiah all right?"

"Much better, though with a serious headache," Josiah admitted. "But ready to blow this pop stand."

Nathan had gone to find Dr. Edge, a middle-aged man with wrinkles on his forehead and a smile on his face. After checking JD's vitals, he was satisfied. "This young man is okay to leave; Mr. Sanchez can leave, as long as he stays in bed if dizzy."

"I'll make sure they both behave," Nathan promised. "Let's get them both dressed."

After the two were dressed, Dr. Edge let the nurses get the discharge papers.

Nurses Betty and Ethel brought in wheelchairs as Josiah groaned. Ethel, the older and grimmer of the two, barked out, "Hospital policy. In the chair, Mr. Sanchez."

"I'll push him," Nathan said, and Ezra went with Nathan to help.

"Chris?" Ezra looked back to ask where they should go.

"Ranch," Chris ordered. "Everyone to the ranch."

"Your turn, sweetie," Betty giggled. "Best patient I ever had; cutest too. I'll bet your Dad is glad you're all right."

JD reddened and gave Buck and Chris his best puppy dog look.

"I can walk, Nurse."

"No breaking hospital rules, squirt and getting pretty Nurse Betty in trouble. So it's the wheelchair or I could just scoop you up and carry you out myself like a baby," and Buck winked at Betty, who giggled.

"Not a baby," JD muttered and settled in the wheelchair, glaring at Buck.

"Children," Buck muttered, and he and Chris, who couldn't help a slight smile, wheeled a now sullen JD out.

Vin had Chris' car ready and stood watching carefully as Chris and Buck flanked JD. "I'll drive," Vin said briefly as he watched the others get settled; Buck and JD in the back and Chris in the passenger seat. "I watched Nathan and Ezra load Josiah, of course with a little more difficulty, and they are on their way."

"Good job, Vin," Chris praised. "We can always count on you to watch our backs."

From a short distance away, two men watched the action. "What do we do now? Tanner is becoming quite an inconvenience."

"We can take Tanner out. We only need the right opportunity."

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Everyone was glad to get to Chris' ranch and get settled. Josiah was settled in the bedroom he usually stayed in and was soon asleep. Nathan would keep checking on him every two hours.

Things seemed more normal when JD immediately started protesting the command to rest as well. "I've been sleeping for HOURS," the youngest protested. "And there isn't anything wrong with me. No car tried to run ME down. I don't need watching, Buck."

"JD, you were injected with Propofol, which can be deadly. We can't take a chance they will get to you."

"Buck, they weren't after me. They didn't kidnap me. It's the rest of you that should be worried."

Vin grabbed the teen and manhandled him into the kitchen. "Kids get cranky when they're hungry."

"Who says I'm cranky?" JD was heard to gripe.

"JD doesn't seem to be upset any more about his experience," Ezra observed.

"He slept through it; we lived through it," Buck commented.

"Chris, why don't you get some sleep," Nathan urged. "We have everything under control. In fact we all should sleep. It's going to be a long road ahead for all of us."

Chris yawned. "That's the best idea I have heard. Everyone should get some rest. And that included those two in the kitchen fighting over the last cookie."

"I think I may stay up a few more minutes," Ezra said as he brought out his laptop. "I may not be quite as good as young JD; but I can do research. Chris, do you know Ella's parents name?"

"Rose Ella Gaines was the name of her mother. The maiden name Ella has gone by because she hates her father. His name was Conor Dane

Callagan. He had a son, Conor, Jr., but I am not sure if he is alive or not.

Ella's name is Ella Rose."

"I'll do some checking," Ezra promised.

"Don't stay up too late, Ezra," Chris admonished. "It was not your fault Josiah got hurt." Chris yawned and headed to his bedroom.

Ezra was pleased by Chris' absolving him of blame for what happened to Josiah; though he was not sure about Buck. Buck was one of the most kind-hearted men in the world – except when it came to anyone hurting JD.

JD didn't hold a grudge, Ezra knew, and had totally dismissed from his mind being given the Propofol.

Ezra couldn't shake the unease he felt; even though the sounds coming from the kitchen made him smile.

"That cookie was mine, Vin! You already ate up the rest of the Oreos! And they were the double stuffed ones, too!"

"Tough luck, Kid."

"Don't suppose you left any pizza?" JD asked, rummaging through the refrigerator.

Ezra's fingers flew over the keyboard as he searched for information on Ella's father. Apparently, he had moved around and lived in several large cities in the U.S., Los Angeles, Denver, New York City . . .

"JD, stop stuffing those marshmallows in your mouth! You are not playing Chubby Bunny!" Vin ordered.

The words from JD were unintelligible, probably due to the marshmallows.

"Stubborn Bostonian!"

"You – one-starred Texa.

At the same time, Ezra kept searching. Dallas. Vegas. Lastly, Boston.

Keeping just ahead of the investigations by the FBI, Ezra mused. Boston was his last residence where he died under suspicious circumstances eighteen years ago.

His wife, Rose, had died sixteen years earlier. Ella lived with her in Denver most of her life except for visits to her father in Boston.

"Call that an insult, Squirt!"

"I call this your last call to stop stuffing your faces and go to bed!" frustrated Chris yelled from his bedroom.

JD and Vin came out of the kitchen, both with tablespoons of brown sugar they were eating. Chris only shook his head and went back to bed.

"Connelly Medical Hospital," Ezra muttered to himself.

JD, in the act of going up the stairs turned. "My momma worked there for a while," he said. "Is that something important, Ezra?"

Distracted, Ezra forced a brief smile. "Not at all, dear boy, go get your rest.

I'll be behind you shortly."

About twenty minutes later, Ezra was startled. "No. No. This is simply not possible!" He read and reread.

Badly shaken, he put his head in his hands.

Maybe this was only a bad dream. He wanted it to be a bad dream.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Early riser Vin went into the kitchen to make his strong coffee and then go outside to think. He loved the early mornings and the beginning of a new day.

What Vin did not expect to see, other than the sunrise, was one of the men sitting in one of the porch chairs, and the biggest surprise was that it was Ezra.

"Ezra!" Vin exclaimed as he moved to sit beside him. "Trying to give me a heart attack? I've never known you to get up early before. Or maybe I'm dreaming."

Ezra turned bleary eyes towards Vin. "I'm hoping I just had a bad dream."

"You didn't go to bed," Vin surmised. "Why?"

Ezra's face twisted as if in pain.

"Ezra?" Vin asked in alarm.

"What if you found something out – something that could . . . hurt several people you care about? Would you tell them or keep quiet?"

"I'm always for truth, Ezra. If it were me, I would want to know."

"I'm more used to dealing in gray areas, Mr. Tanner. This makes it more difficult for me." Ezra paused, taking a swig from his always present flask.

"Mr. Jackson would be for truth; Mr. Larabee for truth, I am not sure with Mr. Sanchez or Mr. Wilmington."

"You didn't mention JD."

"Our young lad would be totally unfamiliar with deceit."

"Ezra, if you need to talk about it, I'm here." Vin said, patting Ezra on the shoulder.

"I think I will need . . . I must have more input," Ezra admitted.

"I'm sure you have several minutes before the others wake. Can you tell me?"

Ezra's response was to pull out two pieces of paper; reread them; sigh, "No it wasn't a bad dream," and pass them to Vin.

Vin looked at the first, nodded. But seeing the second one, Vin Tanner's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened.

"Are you still for the truth, Mr. Tanner?" Ezra's lips twisted.

"I . . . I think we'll need more information, Ezra. What can I do to help?"

A bang, a crash and a fairly loud, "ouch!" along with the sounds of someone hopping around in the kitchen let them know they were no longer the only ones up.

"Vin, can you keep JD occupied and out of the house?"

"I'll let him drink his milk, eat a Pop tart, and then we'll go for a ride. How long shall we stay away?"

"I'll get everyone up as soon as you leave."

Vin finished his coffee. "I don't envy you, pard. I think I have the easier job." Ezra stayed out, and true to his word, Vin led JD outside.

"Hi, Ez!" JD's exuberance had Ezra winching.

"Good morning, JD. Where are you off to?"

"A terrific morning ride with Vin!" JD beamed. "Maybe a race or two, huh, Vin?" JD rushed to the barn to saddle his horse.

Vin eyed Ezra, mouthing, 'You owe me', to which Ezra gave him a thumbs up.

While Vin and JD had saddled up and rode off, JD whooping and hollering and Vin following, Ezra got a cup of coffee, considered, then pulled his flash of brand.

Nathan frowned upon seeing Ezra with his flash. "Number one, you're up early; number two, it's too early to drink."

Chris and Buck followed, Buck snatching the flash and emptied it while Ezra only watched. Ezra's lack of reaction halted Buck's laughter and Nathan and Buck exchanged glances.

"Is Josiah up to a discussion?" Ezra asked abruptly.

"I believe so," Nathan said. "I'll get him."

With Josiah laying on the couch and the others around him, Ezra said:

"Vin already knows what I'm about to show you. JD doesn't. I asked Vin to take JD for a ride to give me time to ask you . . ."

JD and Vin stopped for a rest at the top of one of the hills. "Beautiful view, huh, Vin? I just love Chris' ranch. I've always loved horses and imagined myself as a cowboy in a western. Maybe a lawman – sheriff, maybe. To be just like Bat Masterson. When I went out on Halloween, I begged Mom for a Bat Masterson costume. Most kids didn't know who he was. But I knew and didn't care if kids teased me . . ."

"JD."

"I didn't like big cities, just lots of people, buildings . . . I always begged Mom to take me to the country, but it was more expensive and Mom said that she would take me someday."

"JD!"

"Oh, sorry, Vin, am I talking too much? Buck sometimes says I chatter more than a chipmunk."

"Nah, it's okay, Kid. You always lived in Boston?"

"Well, around there, mostly. We moved a lot. You know, Mom didn't like some of the neighborhoods. She seemed a little jumpy with some of the places. So we moved to try to find a better one."

"You, uh, uh, was your mother small?"

"Like me, you mean? She was average. I guess my father must have been, too, huh, Vin? I mean I always wished I was taller . . . but Mom said her relatives were about medium height."

While JD kept chattering, Chris said abruptly, "Okay, Ezra, what did you find?"

Ezra's response was to hand Chris the first copy.

"JD's birth certificate. Hmmm, he must have been a bit premature."

Nathan snatched it. "2 lbs. Definitely premature. Mother is listed as Bridget Rose Dunne. Father is not listed."

After passing around the birth certificate, everyone looked at Ezra.

"Don't see anything strange about this, Ezra." Chris said.

Silently, Ezra handed the second document to Chris, who frowned, then cursed.

Everyone that read the document looked at Ezra, mouths opened, eyes widened with shock.

Nathan was the first to find his voice. "How could this be? Are you sure, Ezra?"

Ezra only nodded.

Buck read it again in disbelief. "A death certificate. For John Daniel Dunne at the age of two weeks."

Each man could only stare at the other in shock.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

"I need a drink," Buck said with despair in his voice, "and not just beer and I really don't care that it is morning, Nathan. Actually I want to get very, very drunk."

"Didn't help me yesterday," Chris admitted. "But if I thought it would help – I'd be racing you to get drunk first."

"Get us something strong, Chris," Nathan urged, to the surprise of the others.

Ezra sighed. "I've already drunk a lot of brandy."

"Concussion or not, I want some," Josiah spoke in his Old Testament voice no one ever wanted to argue with.

Chris obliged by pouring each man his favorite drink, even surprising Ezra with more brandy.

"Just one drink – we need to be clear-headed," Ezra admonished sternly. "I have already spoken to Mr. Tanner about honesty – and whether he thought the truth should come out. He was for truth until he saw the death certificate." Ezra turned to each one. "Before JD comes back, we need to give our opinions on whether to tell JD or not."

"What do you think, Ezra?" Nathan asked.

Ezra sighed wearily. "I don't want JD to know."

Josiah quoted the Bible, "'Ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall set you free'".

"It would destroy JD, and I won't have that," Buck said sharply. He pushed his hair back and slumped against the couch.

Chris threw an arm around his friend and squeezed. "It would only hurt and confuse JD at this time. It will cause more questions than answers. Until we get all of the truth, I say we keep quiet." Chris turned to look each man in the eye.

"I agree," Buck said instantly.

"I, also, concur with Mr. Larabee. And though it might be difficult; we should all treat our young friend the same as before," Ezra advised.

"Especially until we know everything," Nathan agreed.

Josiah was somber. "I would never hurt our young brother. Though I still say JD has the right to the truth when it concerns him."

"Vin will be with us, too. All right," Chris got up abruptly. "We all have tasks to do. Josiah, use any contacts to find out any information about Ella in the mental hospitals. Nathan, if you have any medical favors you can call in, see what you can discover in the hospital. Bring Raine into it only if you need her help. Ezra . . . "

"Money talks, Mr. Larabee. It's been a while since I called Maude."

"And Buck and I will confer on what we know about Ella and dates – if there are any, that she could have been pregnant and given birth."

"Should we give Vin an all clear?" Ezra asked.

"Give them a few more minutes."

"Josiah?"

"Yes, Chris?"

"Do a lot of praying."

JD was chattering a mile a minute while Vin couldn't keep his mind on anything else but his young friend. Vin was even unsure of the time passing.

JD didn't notice. Vin glanced at JD, saying silently, 'Please, Kid, don't ever change, no matter what we find.' And Vin was very troubled about the information that would be found and that his mind was drifting into scenarios he didn't want to know.

As a few birds flew overhead, with a slight start, Vin got on his horse. "Let's go, Kid."

"Wanna race back, Vin?" JD asked while untying Milagro from the oak tree.

Vin did not have a chance to answer as two shots rang out and Vin fell from Peso.

"Vin!" JD screamed as Milagro jerked the reins when JD screamed and took off.

JD knelt beside Vin, noticing blood on his left arm and left leg. Vin's eyes were wide as he yelled, "JD, go! Run! Don't stay here, JD, go, go!"

"I'm not leaving you, Vin!" JD cried. "I'll get you on Peso and we'll both go."

"Wouldn't do that, Kid," admonished Don as he moved by the two young men, pointing his pistol.

Stuart appeared behind Don. He held a rifle.

JD looked from one to another, trembling, covering Vin with his own body in a desperate attempt to keep Vin from taking another bullet.

"It's this way, Kid. You come with us and we won't finish the job on Tanner there."

"No!" Vin yelled. "Leave the Kid alone!"

"No!" JD spat defiantly. "I won't leave Vin! He needs help."

"Damn it, JD, go!" Vin hissed.

"Take his advice, JD, otherwise he will get two more bullets and have no chance of living," Stuart grinned.

JD's wide hazel eyes went from one man to another, trying desperately to believe they would let Vin live.

"We could have killed him, Kid. Believe me, if we wanted him dead, he would be dead." Don said.

"Don't hurt JD," Vin begged, more concerned with protecting his young friend than his own life.

"The he comes with us quietly. You don't have a choice, Kid. Get up. You get two minutes or we'll shoot your friend."

JD was angry with himself he had brought no weapon with him. He clung to Vin defiantly, frightened to leave Vin vulnerable.

"If you don't want us to hurt the Kid, tell him to cooperate," Don played his last card.

"JD, go. We'll find you, I promise," Vin gasped softly. They hadn't shot JD, so Vin was pinning his hopes they wanted to keep JD alive.

"Vin . . ." JD couldn't seem to let go.

Stuart, less patient went over and the large man easily jerked the smaller teenager to his feet as JD fought and kicked.

"Don!" Stuart's voice was sharp, as he tried to hold the squirming kid.

"Sorry, Kid. Hard way, I guess." Don swabbed a place on JD's right arm and gave him a shot.

Vin watched in horror as JD's struggles become more feeble and he went limp. Stuart picked him up easily.

"See you, Tanner," Stuart said maliciously. "Too bad for you, you couldn't save the day this time."

Vin was starting to feel nauseated from both his wounds and seeing his young friend unconscious and in the arms of an enemy. Vin, with an effort, whistled and Peso came over. Vin pulled himself up, groaned as he mounted, and said, "Home, boy." Vin rode as fast as he could, but couldn't stop the reproaches in his mind. Why didn't you bring a gun. Why didn't you grab your phone. About twenty minutes later, Vin called as loudly as he could and the others filed onto the porch.

"I've been shot twice. And they took JD." Blood loss and fatigue took over as Vin toppled from the saddle.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

It took a moment for the shocked men on Chris' porch to register Vin's words. Chris and Nathan instantly ran to catch Vin before he hit the ground, Nathan, of course, noticing the blood on his left arm and leg and the blood on Vin's clothes and saddle. They carried Vin inside to lay him gently on the couch, while Ezra grabbed a couple of towels to put under Vin.

"Don't worry about blood; just take care of Vin; how is he, Nathan?" Chris snapped, terrified.

Vin's eyes opened. "Cowboy, I'll live, find JD. Boy covered me with his body to protect me."

"Vin, be still, it looks like you still have two bullets in you. And you've lost a lot of blood," Nathan scolded as he examined Vin.

"Vin, was JD shot? Do you know who took him? Did you recognize them? Did they say anything about Ella?" Buck demanded frantically.

Vin's eyes fluttered open; anguish on his face as he gazed at a terrified Buck. "Sorry, Bucklin got caught off guard. Shot me twice, JD covered me; didn't know them; didn't hurt JD. Gave him a sedative, I think because he didn't want to leave me. Brave, stupid kid," Vin choked out and then his tired eyes shut.

"Easy, Vin," Nathan soothed as he probed the wounds and bandaged them. "The bullets need to be removed; we can call an ambulance or drive him there."

Buck, dazed, watched the action as Vin was taken to Nathan's suburban and readied for transport.

"JD," Buck said brokenly, torn between concern for the pale and clammy Vin and his missing teammate.

Ezra took Buck's arm. "Mr. Larabee, Buck and I will ride out to see if there are any clues about the miscreants who abducted JD; and then meet you at the hospital."

Josiah had also been torn between staying and helping to find JD; or go with Vin. Nathan had told him to go, he wasn't up to riding yet. Josiah hugged both Buck and Ezra before he left. "God will be with him. We'll all pray."

Buck and Ezra both leaned in to speak to Vin. "Take care, Junior." Buck said, running his hand through Vin's hair.

"I will expect to find you much better, Mr. Tanner," Ezra said, choking up slightly.

Chris nodded to Buck as he drove off.

Buck and Ezra saddled up, made sure they took rifles, pistols and their phones. Ezra was doubtful they would find clues, but he knew Buck needed to keep busy. As they rode up to the spot, seeing Milagro still around, Ezra pointed to the blood where Vin had undoubtedly been shot.

Though Vin was the most experienced tracker, Ezra and Buck could see two other footprints beside the ones made by JD's and Vin's boots. The signs of a struggle where JD had been dragged from Vin. A discarded needle and vial. Buck used his handkerchief to pick it up and wrapped it up, hoping to get some fingerprints. He was grim when he saw it.

"Vin said JD was fighting," Ezra tried to comfort him. "It was probably a sedative. Remember, when they had a chance to hurt him before, they didn't. Propofol ordinarily does not cause harm given alone. And they could have shot him and left him with Vin. And they didn't kill Vin."

"I know, Ezra," Buck said brokenly, "but they took the Kid and why?"

Ezra gazed into the distance. "To make Chris accede to their wishes, most likely. They'll be in contact with us soon. Let's go to the hospital."

"They drove a truck near here," Buck said. "The Kid's pretty light, but they probably didn't want to carry him far. And Vin would have heard them had they drove closer."

"They hoped JD would come with them and not fight. But he wouldn't leave Vin, and Vin was distracted by the news this morning or he would have been more alert. Coming on Chris' ranch; that was a bold move on their part."

"Ella is getting desperate to get Chris to listen to her," Buck said bitterly.

"Chris will understandably not be happy with Josiah and Vin being hurt; but believe me, Buck, he will do what is needed to get JD back." Ezra put a hand on Buck's arm.

Buck smiled briefly, "Thanks, Ezra. Let's go to the hospital, check on Vin, and we'll go from there."

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In a mansion on the outskirts of Denver, Don and Stuart drove up to the front door. Stuart glanced at the boy lying in the back seat. "Boy, I wished the kid looked more like Larabee."

"Doesn't matter. Ella just wants her kid. She's got him now."

"Yeah, we know the kid was born in Collingswood; Ella had her kid in Collingswood in Connelly Hospital. I didn't believe her until Standish did the research for us," Stuart chuckled.

"Yeah, let's send him a flask of brandy for that," Don laughed. "Come on. Let's not keep the Queen waiting on her little prince."

Stuart opened the back door and hoisted JD over his shoulder. "Glad this kid is light. Still can't believe he's nineteen; looks more fourteen."

Ella was pacing in the living room, as she often was, reminding the men of a jaguar on the prowl. She turned as the men entered the room.

"Mrs. Larabee," Don said solemnly. "Here is your son."

And Stuart gently placed JD on the sofa as Ella flew over to him and gathered him up in her arms.

"My boy, my sweet, sweet boy," she murmured, stroking the dark hair. "Mama will never leave you again."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Though it seemed forever to a pacing Chris, Vin had been in surgery for only two hours. Nathan had gone back and forth, surmising Vin would need a blood transfusion and would be weak from blood loss. Josiah was in the chapel, praying for Vin and JD. Chris was also, as were Nathan and Josiah, worried sick about his youngest agent, proud that JD had used his own body to shield Vin from being killed, and terrified about what JD would face with Ella. But Chris could not leave until he was sure Vin would be all right, and notwithstanding Nathan's reassurances, see Vin's eyes.

Both Nathan and Josiah had admonished Chris that Vin would be angry with himself for not protecting JD; and angry that Chris was not out trying to find JD. When Buck and Ezra had arrived near the halfway point of the surgery, Ezra got right on his laptop while Buck joined Chris in pacing.

To everyone's relief, Dr. Angel came into the waiting room, smiling. Her green eyes sparkled. "Mr. Tanner will be fine. Other than loss of blood, the bullets did minimal damage to his arm and leg. He was very fortunate that the bullet in the leg did not hit the femoral artery; just barely missed it. He's weak, drowsy and in recovery." The smile vanished. "I under that Mr. Tanner's emotional state does pose a problem. I don't know what is going on, but I want only positive responses from you men to reassure him."

Chris sighed. "That will be hard, Dr. Angel. Vin was shot while his younger friend was kidnapped. And this was after Mr. Sanchez was seriously injured by a car hitting him."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Larabee."

"Vin blames himself for letting JD get kidnapped," Ezra sighed.

"Then you reassure him the best you can. I can let two of you see him for a minute."

Chris signaled to Nathan and Buck went to let Josiah know while Ezra, relieved, kept up his research.

Nathan checked Vin's vitals and was pleased, though Vin's distressed murmuring made Chris take Vin's hand. "Vin."

"JD, go, leave me, JD, go, don't hurt him, JD!"

Vin's eyes shot open and he stared wildly around, trying to jerk off the bed. Nathan held him down while Chris placed his hands on each side of Vin's head. "Vin, look at me, it's Chris; you're all right, you're going to be fine."

Nathan spoke gently as well. "We're so glad to see you, Vin. The others will be so relieved you will fine."

Vin shook his head in a negative way. "JD."

"Don't worry about JD; he will be fine, I promise." Chris soothed.

"Didn't run – saved me," Vin murmured. "Said they'd kill me if he didn't go with them."

"He's very brave, our young one," Nathan said, choking up a bit.

Vin looked from one to the other. "Why here? Find JD!"

"Ezra is working on it, Vin. Between Josiah, JD, and you, Nathan has about had it. Get better. For me. For Nathan."

They both knew Vin was fighting to stay awake, but he finally drifted off.

The nurses came to move him into Room 255. Nathan went to let the others know they could see Vin. All were sober as they gathered around their friend.

Vin fought to open his eyes again and saw the others. Weak or not, there was a command in his voice. "JD."

Buck's face hardened. "We're getting the Kid back. Sleep. He'll be back before you wake up."

Chris could tell Vin didn't believe them, but his exhaustion and meds kicked in. Chris took his hand. "I promise you, Vin. I'll get JD back. Josiah, you're still recovering, you should stay . . ."

"No."

Chris stopped in his tracks and stared.

"No, Chris. I am ready to use my profiler skills. I'll come."

"Nathan will stay then."

"What if JD's hurt and we need Nathan?" Buck argued.

Josiah said thoughtfully, "Buck, they had two chances. They didn't hurt JD either time – and they could have. They didn't shoot him. Ella was mad her people gave him the Propofol. They took him – but I don't think they will harm him."

"I'll stay for now and you keep me posted," Nathan agreed.

With a backward glance at the sleeping Vin, Chris led the others out of the room.

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Don, Stuart and Bill had never seen Ella as contented as she continued to soothe and rock JD in her arms. She had JD's upper body in her arms, moving her fingers through his hair and bending down to kiss his forehead.

"Poor baby, he's been through so much, but mommy is here and he will never be hurt again."

Don looked at Stuart and then ventured, "Mrs. Larabee, the kid may not understand at first. He has lived with Bridget Dunne until she died about a year ago."

"Well, then he will be sooo pleased his mother is still alive!"

"What should we do next, Mrs. Larabee?"

"Well, bring Chris to me, of course!" Ella beamed. "Oh, won't Chris be so thrilled with seeing his son?"

"Well, Larabee is at the hospital now – to get the kid, we had to shoot Tanner."

Ella dismissed that with a wave of her hand as unimportant. "One less person to distract Chris from our family." She stood up. "I must get ready to see Chris. I want to look my best. Let me know if my darling son wakes up." She hummed and danced out of the room.

"Crazy as a loon," Don said. "And her "son" may not be willing to cooperate. Maybe we should have grabbed Tanner; you saw how the kid protected him."

"Yeah, but the kid is very close to Wilmington. If we had him, or any of the others, the kid would go along to keep them safe, I'm sure."

"And when he finds out they all lied to him . . ." Stuart said maliciously.

"He may be more willing to accept his fate." Bill agreed.

A few minutes later, JD began to stir. His hazel eyes widened as he saw the three men. "No," he moaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Vin. Where is Vin?"

"Hospital, Kid. Don't worry; we kept our word and didn't shoot him again. I made a call and he's doing well."

JD sighed in relief. Then he looked at Stuart. "You took me to force Chris to come here!"

"Well, that's one reason . . ." but before Stuart could elaborate, Ella, hearing the slight commotion came sailing back into the room. Don was startled, her face, lit with happiness, made her almost beautiful.

"My darling boy! You're awake! Oh, you don't know how much I missed you!"

JD's eyes widened as large as they could as he stared at the woman. "Ella Gaines?"

"No, silly! I'm your mother, JD!"

JD's heart was pounding hard in his chest and he felt as if he were caught in a nightmare. "No," he murmured as Ella once again hugged him tightly and kissed him on the forehead. "No, it can't be."

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

JD peeled off Ella's arms and scooted away from her. "My mother was Bridget Dunne," he insisted, trembling. "I can't be your son."

Ella's smile disappeared as she stared at him. "Darling, I know this may be hard for you."

"I want my friends!" JD cried, bringing up his knees and rocking back and forth, and as Ella reached for him, "Please don't touch me! I know you want Chris back, but you can't use me; I am not your son!"

Ella's head cocked in surprise. "Darling," she began.

"JD," JD interrupted her. "John Daniel Dunne, but I want to be called JD."

"JD," Ella said reluctantly. "JD, you are my child. I gave birth to you in Connelly Hospital. You were very premature and I had complications from your birth. I never got to hold you, see you. And the next day, MY FATHER," and she spat at those two words in distaste, "came to me, pretending to be sad and said my baby had died." Ella began to rock back and forth and wept.

JD was watching her, unable to stop trembling. "How . . . how do you know your baby didn't die?"

Ella stood up, putting her hands to her ears, her movements wild and uncontrolled, "NO!" she screamed. "No, you can't have my baby, my baby is mine and Chris' and you can't take him from me again, you monster!" Ella kept raving.

JD shrank back as far as he could, frightened by the madness before him.

Ella seemed to have forgotten all about JD as she paced.

Don stepped up. "Mrs. Larabee," he said as he took her arm gently. "You need to rest, it's time for your medicine and everything will be all right when you wake up."

After a minute, Ella stopped. "My nap?"

"Yes, dear, and let's get you a glass of water and take your medicine." Don led her gently into the far room.

Once the door was shut, Stuart sprang at JD, jerking him up by his shirt and shaking him like a rag doll. "Listen, you little bastard, you are not going to mess up our plan, so you better start playing son to dear old mom, or we can take out more of your friends and this time they will die!"

JD whimpered as Don came out of the bedroom, holding a medicine bag. "What are you doing, you idiot? This kid apparently has bad reactions to any kind of medicine, and you're only scaring him!"

Stuart flung JD back on the couch, hand rising as if to strike the boy.

Bill caught the arm as JD flinched. "You can't hurt him!"

"He's not my son, a few hits and maybe he'll wise up!" Stuart hissed, his eyes blazing. "I am not letting this little brat keep me from the fortune Ella promised us! You can baby him if you want, but don't tell me too!"

Don grabbed a medical bag near the wall, pushed Stuart back and approached the shaking boy. "JD, let me check you out."

JD looked at Don's concerned face, then to Bill watching with interest and finally to Stuart, who was staring at JD as if aching to beat him up.

"You seem to be sensitive to medications," Don said softly. "I'm sorry I gave you the Propofol. Your reaction to it was more serious than anyone else I have seen. And the sedative I gave you at the ranch is not supposed to cause problems, but it seems to have." Along with having your friends threatened and hurt, being kidnapped and having madwomen Ella Gaines claim you as her son, he thought silently

"Buck," JD said as if a plea. "Please, Buck, Chris, come get me, please come find me."

He flinched as Don checked him over, but did not protest further. Don checked his eyes, pulse, and breathing along with blood pressure and noticed the pale and clammy skin. "You have any allergies, JD?"

"I . . . don't know," JD answered softly.

Don did not like the look of the boy.

"Bill, put some blankets in the dryer. Then bring me a pillow. And find loose clothing – maybe some pajamas or a t-shirt. Let the blankets get warmed and then bring them to me."

Don turned to JD, pushing him gently down into the couch and put the pillow under his legs. He untied his shoes and took off his socks. Then he took off the belt and unzipped JD's jeans. JD's dull eyes followed him, but he did not protest.

"What are you doing?" Stuart asked curiously.

"Loosening his clothing. He is showing signs of going into shock."

Don unbuttoned JD's shirt, leaving his t-shirt on. He gently pulled the jeans off.

Don was getting more and more concerned. Was this the same boy that had stared at them in defiance, covering his friend's body to protect him, regardless if that meant he himself would be shot? The boy that had refused to move until Stuart jerked him up? Even then, JD had fought like a wildcat until Don gave him what he thought was a safe sedative.

When Bill brought the warm blankets, Don covered JD with them cocooning him in them while Bill lifted JD up.

Don then pulled Bill aside. "Call Larabee. And Wilmington. At least them, but if some of the others want to come, let them. Quick. The boy looks like he may be going into shock. And yes, he could die from it." As Bill went to call, Stuart came over.

"I don't want to bother will all of them. Just Larabee."

"I don't care what you want, if you don't do what I say and this boy dies, I will personally kill you before Ella does. I don't care how you do it, but get Larabee and Wilmington at least here as soon as you can."

Stuart grumbled, but got his jacket. Bill stayed back long enough to ask, "Can the boy really die?"

"Yes," Don said grimly.

Bill shook his head and went after Stuart.

Don pulled up a chair to keep an eye on JD. He wished JD didn't look so darn young and innocent. He looked all of our fifteen and very vulnerable. His whole world had been shattered, and even more so when he found out the truth his friends had kept from him. "Hang in there, Kid," he encouraged, pushing the dark hair back. "Your friends will be here soon."

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Stuart and Bill drove up to the hospital. Stuart was still unhappy. "Don's doctor side is coming out. And he's getting attached to the kid."

"As long as Ella is happy with her son and so is Larabee, we are fine."

"What if Larabee doesn't go along with it?"

"Listen, Larabee doesn't have to know that Don is soft on the kid. For all Larabee knows, Don could be Dr. Frankenstein. And remember, Tanner will still be in the hospital and we have a contact there. Larabee has to be concerned about the kid and Tanner."

Stuart dialed the phone.

Chris was in the waiting room, talking with his men. Vin was sleeping, and Nathan was keeping an eye on him. Chris's main worry right now was JD and the increasingly frantic Buck. The phone rang. "Larabee."

"How would you like to see your kid?" Stuart asked maliciously. "You and Wilmington. You follow orders, you can. If you don't follow orders, JD dies."

Green eyes blazing, Chris growled, "JD had better be all right or you and your accomplices will have nowhere to hide."

Buck tried to grab the phone and Ezra and Josiah looked up, startled.

Chris held out his hand to hold Buck back and Josiah grabbed Buck to make sure.

"We're giving the orders, Larabee."

"I want my medic to come with and check JD."

Stuart glanced at Bill, who shrugged.

"Fine."

"And my profiler. He will be able to check JD's mental state." Chris did not say out loud it was Ella he wanted Josiah to help with.

"Fine. We'll work with you, Larabee. Be outside in five minutes. No weapons or phones. Hands over your heads. Any problems and your boy dies."

Chris hung up, wasting no time. "Ezra, get Nathan and stay with Vin. No weapons, no phones. Can't take a chance on them hurting JD."

Buck grabbed his jacket while Ezra ran down the hall.

"Nathan, go to the waiting room; I'm staying with Vin; no, Chris will tell you, we don't have time."

Nathan, startled, did as Ezra said. Ezra sat by the sleeping Vin. He badly wanted to go but knew someone needed to watch the still vulnerable Vin.

As they exited the hospital, Chris told Nathan briefly what was going on. All had left their weapons and phones, but Nathan took his medical kit.

"Larabee," Stuart said while Bill stood by with a gun on the other three. Chris was frisked and then led to the black van. His hands were tied behind his back. Stuart repeated the process with the other three.

As Bill drove, Stuart said brusquely, "We could play games, but the kid isn't doing well. Therefore, we need to get back, so we won't blindfold you."

Buck spoke up menacingly. "You better not have hurt JD."

"He'll be okay as long as you cooperate. And now you are in the van, we can tell you we have someone on the inside at the hospital. If you want Tanner to stay healthy, you have another reason to cooperate. And don't think we couldn't take care of Standish, too."

Chris was furious, but he kept quiet and signaled to the others to keep silent, too.

About thirty minutes later, the van pulled up to the broken-down mansion, the limp and bedraggled flowers and the grass not taken care of.

Bill held his gun on Nathan while Stuart pushed Chris forward. He grinned at the growl and the angry look Buck gave him. Once the door opened, Stuart said, "Don," and Don drew his weapon, too. Four chairs were brought and Josiah and Nathan were tied tightly with Bill and Stuart covering them with their pistols.

"JD!" Buck cried, unable to stay away from the kid any longer. Chris followed warily, his eyes softening as he looked at the bundled, vulnerable JD.

"Why is he bundled up?" Nathan questioned from the chair.

"A precaution. The boy looked as if he might be going into shock."

Throwing an angry glance at Don, Buck picked JD up and held him against his chest.

"Buck."

"I'm here, son."

"I'm here, too, JD and so is Josiah and Nathan. You're going to be all right," Chris soothed.

JD's eyes were still dull but there was a slight smile and sigh. "Buck."

"You missed us so much you had to snuggle in blankets like Linus?" Buck teased, stroking the dark hair.

"I need to check him," Nathan insisted.

Don motioned to Chris to go back to the chair and after Chris gave JD's shoulder a squeeze, he did and Nathan was allowed to get up, bringing his bag.

"I notice you have a medical bag, too," Nathan said with surprise, seeing Don's bag.

"I've been checking his vitals. Go ahead."

"Hi, JD," Nathan greeted, troubled by the pale and clammy skin and the dullness in JD's eyes. He checked his eyes, pulse, breathing, which was slow and his blood pressure, which was low. "We may need to start an IV."

Don nodded. "I loosened his clothing and put warm blankets on him and a pillow under his legs, while laying his head down. I've kept an eye on his vitals."

"Are you a doctor?"

Don didn't answer.

"Thanks for taking care of him," Nathan said sincerely. "Was he hurt in any way?"

"He seems very sensitive to meds. He reacted badly to the Propofol. And he struggled so much when we dragged him off Tanner, I had to sedate him. A mild sedative, he shouldn't have had a problem."

"There must have been something else."

Don shrugged. "You can check him for any wounds, but I would rather he stay wrapped."

Nathan hesitated for a moment, and then Ella sailed out of her bedroom, eyes only on the boy on the couch. "Don! What have you done to my darling boy?"

JD, hearing her voice, began to shake and Buck lifted him up, glaring at Ella. "You stay away from him, Ella Gaines! You are not going to hurt him!"

Ella stared at him in bewilderment. "Why would I hurt my son, Buck? That is the last thing I would do!" Turning to JD, she said, "Darling, let your mommy hold you."

JD, trembling more, grabbed onto Buck's shirt and tried to bury his face there. Chris growled towards Ella when he observed JD's fear of Ella. Josiah and Nathan exchanged shocked glances.

"Ella!" Chris exclaimed. "JD is not your son and you will release him this instance and let Nathan take him to the hospital!"

Ella's face twisted. "How dare you tell me to stay away from my own son – and yours! I will never be separated from him again!" Ella stroked JD's dark hair and placed a kiss on his cheek as the boy cringed, clinging tighter to Buck. Ella noticed this with a frown. "Take Buck away!" she ordered Stuart. "Bring Chris here. A father should be with his son."

Buck caught Nathan's eye and reluctantly went back to the chair, not wanting to endanger JD. Chris was biting his tongue to lash out at Ella, but held back.

JD had clung so hard to Buck, tears falling from his eyes, that he had torn part of Buck's shirt and it took everything Buck had to leave the boy. Chris moved quickly to cradle JD to his chest, stroking his hair and soothing him with soft words. "It's all right, JD. It will be all right."

Ella, who had watched with displeasure JD clinging to Buck, was pleased to see Chris step up and hold his son. She drew nearer, smiling at the picture of her "family" while Chris was wary.

"Chris, why does she think I'm her son? Why?" JD begged for an answer.

Chris did not know what to say. He simply held JD close. He looked over at Buck, despairing, and saw Josiah's compassionate gaze. Bill was standing by Buck and Josiah with a pistol. Don had moved back along with Nathan. Chris did not like the malicious smirk on Stuart's face.

"JD had one security all his life – his mother, Bridget Dunne," Josiah spoke softly. "No father. And JD lost his mother less than one year ago."

"I AM HIS MOTHER!" Josiah's unspoken plea went unanswered by Ella.

"Ella, you are frightening the boy," Don interjected.

"Ella, you need to explain why you believe JD is your son," Chris suggested.

"It may help JD if you do," Don agreed.

Chris could see that Josiah agreed as he gave a slight nod. It also would be a good test to see how delusional Ella was and if her claim had any merit. But Chris, knowing about the death certificate, could not figure out the mystery and why, if Ella was JD's mother, he had been raised by Bridget Dunne.

"My father saw to it I was locked up in the mental institution for years – for years," Ella hissed. "He hated me."

Chris couldn't stop himself. "You tried to kill Sarah," he growled.

Ella looked over at Chris. "I was truly ill, then. And Buck stopped me." She threw a hard glance at Buck who met her eyes, furious.

"Ella, maybe we should stick to what happened," Don suggested.

"I was pregnant once – and tried to hide that from my father. You know my father has connections. My baby was premature. My father said the baby died." Ella choked up. "A year passed and I was pregnant again. I was determined not to let anything happen to our child this time, Chris. So I did everything the doctors said. I found out – I found out – I was pregnant with twins."

A collective gasp was heard all around the room. Chris felt JD tense even more and stroked the boy's back.

"I had "complications" and was unable to see my babies. Father saw to that, I am sure. And once again he told me the babies had died."

Chris's head was starting to spend and he could imagine everyone in the room felt the same.

Nathan asked, "Is there any proof of this?"

"I didn't find out until Aunt Grace – Father's sister told me before she died. She had an attack of conscience and no longer feared Father's revenge. She told me my Father took the babies and had the medical records changed."

"How?" Nathan asked.

"I believe Mr. Standish could tell you that. Come, come Mr. Standish and Mr. Tanner. I assume you are feeling better?" Stuart grinned maliciously.

"Standish!" Chris barked.

"No, cowboy," Vin rasped from his wheelchair. "Had to come. JD."

"I couldn't stop him, Mr. Larabee, I swear I tried."

"Nathan!" Chris snapped, still glaring at Ezra and Nathan knew he wanted Vin checked out.

JD pulled away from Chris and kneeled by the chair. "Vin," he breathed in relief.

"How ya doing, Kid?" Vin reached out his right arm to tousle JD's hair.

JD tensed up; and broke away. He went to Buck, and knelt by Buck.

Hands tied up, Buck did his best to soothe his young friend.

Ezra asked, "Chris, what is going on?"

"JD, come back to your Mother," Ella cooed, holding out her arms.

"Ella says JD is her son and mine," Chris said brusquely.

Vin banged his right hand on the side of his wheelchair arm. "Damn!"

"As if the tragedy is not bad enough," Ezra murmured.

"Is this the dramatic part of the play where the villain appears with lighting flashes, darkness and booms?"

Chris looked over. There he was, with the self-satisfied smirk Chris had always wanted to wipe off his face permanently.

"Handsome" Jack Averill.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Averill was expensively dressed, with a suit Ezra would envy, with a black hat and a golden cane. He reminded Buck of an old west wealthy businessman. There were three thugs he motioned in.

Even though the living room was very large, it was getting crowded and most did not know which way to look.

"I insisted they come, Larabee," Averill smiled. "I have always wanted to meet Mr. Standish. An example of a man who appreciates superb taste in clothes, cars, wine. Though he may have lowered his standards a bit." Averill indicated and Ezra pushed Vin towards the rest of the seven.

"I believe a western knot is so passé, Mr. Averill. As are crocodile shoes. And I can't help but point out that last year's blue is this year's gray." Ezra remarked.

"I knew I would find you refreshing, Mr. Standish. From the FBI to ATF, you would be the smoothest alive. Pity neither you nor your colleagues were able to find anything inappropriate on me or Conor Gallagher." He threw back his head and laughed derisively before turning to Ella. "Ella! I see the years have not been very kind to you. I am not sure why I ever was attracted to you."

"What are doing here, Jack!" Ella stood up and glared at him. Don, Bill and Stuart watched the exchange warily.

Ezra was tied up by Buck, Josiah and Nathan. Vin was not perceived much of a threat, as his pale and worn face and recent surgeries, made him appear weak.

Tap, tap, and with his golden cane Averill walked over to examine the tied up agents and his smile grew wider as he met the angry gaze of Buck Wilmington. "Well, well, another potential father here." He turned around to face Chris. "I see you are already laying claim to Ella's son as if he is your son. One child and at least three possible fathers."

JD had become rigid at the verbal repartee surrounding him.

"It will be okay, Son," Chris soothed, feeling the tension in the boy, though JD kept his face away from the action and leaning over Chris' shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Kid," Vin said, wishing he felt stronger and aching all other but also aching to get at the bad guys.

"Remember, whatever happens, you can count on us," Nathan added.

"JD, son, I won't let anything happen to you," Buck called out.

"My son does not need any protection from any of you!" Ella screeched.

"And where have you been all his young life, Ella? Mental hospitals? Oh, you remember the golden cane? It belonged to your father."

"You can take that cane and throw it in the fire, Jack Averill! And throw yourself in there, too!" Ella blazed at him.

Ignoring the outburst, Averill turned to JD. "Now I would like to see the boy all this fuss is about." Jack commanded.

JD was turned away, his face buried in Chris's chest as he had done with Buck.

"Turn around, JD. Or one of my men will get his pick on which of your friends to hurt."

Chris could feel the anxiety rolling off JD like waves. But as JD heard the heavy tread going towards the others, he sighed and turned around to face Averill.

For once Averill dropped his cool persona, gasping. "You . . . you look a lot like Conor Jr." Almost involuntarily, he reached to pull the boy to his feet.

JD shrank back and Ella flew at Averill. "You leave my son alone, Jack or I'll scratch your eyes out!" And she flailed her arms while Averill fended them off easily.

"Mike," Averill said and one of his men came over to hold Ella.

Buck was getting increasingly enraged and feeling helpless to help JD was killing him.

e was worried aou

Buck was worried about JD's physical and mental well-being. JD the feisty kid was gone and a fearful, vulnerable kid that was seeing his whole world shattered, was shaking, even with Chris putting his arms around him.

Mike had seated Ella in a recliner.

Ella's eyes were flashing but she complied as Mike pointed a gun at her.

"Who do you trust, JD?" Averill inquired, his eyes locked on JD's face.

JD stood up and a bit of defiance was back. "I don't trust her and I don't trust you. Just leave me and my friends alone! They are the only ones I can count on since Mom died."

"And they wouldn't keep anything from you, right, Kid?" Stuart stepped forward.

"Never! I can trust them completely!" JD spat.

Chris did not like the look in Stuart's eyes as he smirked. "Well, let's talk about that. When you were . . . sleeping in the hospital, your friends did some research. And they found out something they kept from you. Do you trust them now?"

Chris had cold chills and exchanged fearful glances with the others.

Stuart pulled out a couple of papers and gave them to JD.

JD looked over the birth certificate first, it matching what he had been told by Bridget Dunne. The blank spot where his father's name was supposed to be haunted him. The uncertainly was growing as he checked the death certificate, eyes wide with shock.

"Chris, you knew . . . all of you knew this? What is it? What does it mean?"

JD began, stunned.

"Son," Chris began, but JD jerked his arm away and backed into the fireplace.

"I am not your son!" JD blazed. "I am not your son!" and JD pointed to Ella. "And I am not your son, either, if you are crazy enough to believe I am!" and his finger stabbed in Averill's direction. "I am Bridget Dunne's son and I don't have my mother OR my father!"

JD's eyes were full of betrayal as stared at his fellow agents. Josiah was shaking his head slowly; Nathan and Ezra's gazes showed compassion; Buck's a combination of both love and fear; Vin's head was bowed, whether due to shame or the weakness from his surgery. When JD's eyes met Chris' green ones, they didn't waver.

"You lied to me. You all lied to me."

JD felt trapped. To his right side his friends – who betrayed him. To his left was Ella and her men. In front of him were Averill and his men. Chris was standing, his eyes asking JD to understand why they kept silent.

JD's head was pounding; his breathing fast. He leaned into the fireplace as much as he could. He wanted to flee. His body was tense, ready to spring forward. He felt like a trapped animal backed into a tree with hunters on each side. Dead, dead, dead, he thought. And in his bewilderment and feelings of being trapped, his mind shut off, his eyes rolled back, and he fell heavily to the floor.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Chris was quick, but not quick enough to catch JD. Buck was straining his wrists trying to get the ropes off and crying out, "JD! JD!" The others were anxious and worried, and Nathan kept yelling, "Let me help him! JD!"

Ella screamed and Averill appeared nonplussed.

Don reached JD a moment after Chris while Nathan ached to help.

"JD?" Chris questioned softly.

JD moaned.

Don was checking JD, but he could tell JD had hit his head hard when he passed out and blood was running down the back of JD's head and Don felt a large lump.

Averill sprang forward and knelt. "Will he be all right?" he asked anxiously.

Don ignored him, telling Chris, "Get my bag. And for heaven's sake keep her away!" He motioned to Ella was screaming and moaning, "My baby! My baby boy!" along with fighting Mike to get to JD.

Mike held her as firmly as possible. Averill reached out to touch JD's face and for the first time there was tenderness in his gaze.

Chris stiffened, but before he could speak, Don again took charge. "Untie Nathan; I need him."

Averill couldn't help snapping, "Who put you in charge?"

Don's eyes were flashing and his voice cold. "If all of you care as much for JD as you say you do, you'll stay back and let us treat him."

Averill nodded to one of his men and Nathan was quickly released.

"Oh, JD, what has happened to you now?" Nathan asked as he pulled out his medical instruments, checking pulse, breathing and blood pressure. Don checked JD's eyes.

"I don't like it," was Don's opinion. "He could go into shock. And he has a concussion, maybe a bad one."

Nathan nodded. "He needs a hospital."

"Treat him here." Averill ordered.

Nathan stood up and got right up in Averill's face. "If you truly care about JD, you let us take him to the hospital."

A flash of anger crossed Averill's face. "See what you can do for him here."

Don said, "Nathan, let's get him on the couch, put the pillow back under his legs, and use warm blankets."

Nathan agreed. "And clean and bandage his head."

In a few minutes, JD was back on the couch, covered with warm blankets. His vitals had stabilized and he opened his hazel eyes, blinked and called, "Buck? Buck, where are you?"

Nathan untied Buck who was immediately by JD's side, ruffling his dark hair and holding onto a hand. "Easy, kid."

JD looked puzzled, touching his bandaged head. "Ouch! Buck, what stupid stunt did I do now?"

Nathan stepped up. "You hit your head, JD. Don't you remember?"

Chris held his breath as JD replied innocently, "No. Where am I, Buck?"

Before Buck could answer, JD yawned and drifted to sleep.

"Nathan?" Chris and Buck asked at the same time.

"Concussion sometimes leaves the patient with short-term memory loss. And right now I am glad of that. Chris, I want to get JD into another room before he wakes up again and sees everyone here. It would alarm him and we may be dealing with shock again."

"Averill?"

Chris's face registered his surprise as he caught Averill looking at the boy with tenderness in his eyes. "Yes. Use the bedroom on the right. But if you try anything, I'll shoot one of your men. Maybe Standish. Can't have two dapper gentlemen in one place?" And Averill's cynical smirk was back.

"Nathan and Buck need to go with him," Chris demanded. "As you saw, JD is like Buck's little brother."

"Victor," Avery ordered his burly man. "Observe. Do nothing to upset the boy."

A moan from Vin and Don went to him. "He needs to lie down. "Bill, get one of the cots in here. If it's okay, Mr. Averill," he added to the man that seemed in charge.

Averill nodded curtly, saying to Chris who had gone to reassure Vin. "He's your best friend, right, Larabee? Hmm, I might just finish the job Ella's men started if you don't cooperate."

"You aren't going to touch him or I will kill you!" Chris blazed.

Another smirk of pleasure was Averill's only reply.

Don checked Vin's stitches and the one in his leg was leaking blood. Don bandaged it. Vin's eyes were full of venom as he looked at one of the men who shot him and kidnapped JD and those eyes promised vengeance as soon as Vin was healthy enough and maybe even before.

"Vin." The only word Chris said, but Vin heard the message behind it. He knew Chris wanted to keep attention off Vin, so he closed his eyes and let his taunt body relax.

Chris knew Vin was fuming inside and hated appearing or being helpless, but was glad to see Vin playing along.

Ezra and Josiah, still tied, exchanged worried glances.

Ella, who had been rocking back and forth, began to wail. "Give her one of her happy pills, Don and shut her up." "Handsome" Jack walked towards her. "Now, Ella, leave everything to me and it will be fine. Can't hardly hurt the mother of my child, right Larabee?" The taunting smirk was back, though Ella protested, "No, Chris' child. Our child, not yours." But despite fighting it, she relaxed in her love seat.

Mike and Bill were by her along with a short, stocky man who kept his gun on them.

Chris was getting more and more frustrated. Josiah still suffering from being hit by the car. Vin shot twice. JD hurt in more than one way. Was anything Averill said possibly true, or was he taunting Chris. "All right, "Handsome" Jack," Chris sneered. "Enough of this circus. Ella is not trustworthy and this may be one of her schemes. If there is something you know, prove it."

Averill bowed sarcastically. He opened a folder and took two pages out.

"Found among Gallagher's papers after he was murdered."

Chris snatched the papers. Though parts were torn and blacked out, he read. "Baby one – DNA reveals match with Conor Dane Gallagher.

Mother – Ella Rose Gallagher. Father – Christopher Michael Larabee." Chris' heart began to pound, but he kept reading. "Baby two – DNA reveals another match with the Gallaghers. Mother – Ella Rose Gallagher. Father – Jack Oliver Averill."

The eyes of everyone in the room widened. Chris lost control, getting a couple of punches to Averill's stomach and chin, before Averill's man pulled him back, with a warning pointing his gun towards Vin, Ezra, and Josiah.

Chris backed off, but his green eyes still blazed. "I'm going to get my son," he said, moving towards the bedroom where JD rested.

"Oh, my dear Mr. Larabee. You are so wrong. JD is not your son."

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Chris pivoted and in a flash struck Averill on his chin. The blow was so powerful that Averill staggered back against Buck, who promptly got in a couple of blows before Averill's goons cocked their guns. One jerked a hurting Vin to his feet and held the gun to his head. The other had Ezra in his sights.

Jack staggered to his feet, rubbing his chin. He stared at Chris with malevolence. "I always hated you, Larabee. I hate you even more now. And Wilmington, too. I should have my men shoot you."

Vin tried to control the pain he was in, but a moan escaped from him. "Back off, Larabee, or you'll lose your best friend."

Chris immediately backed off. Josiah looked around the room and was very troubled. It was like having dynamite in the room and not knowing when it was going to go off. Ella's men were getting restless and Stuart was especially growing angrier, as he had not expected getting his money from Ella to be so hard.

Averill's men looked to their leader. One, Victor was in with Buck, JD and Nathan. The other two were watchful. Ella was back in her bedroom and silent for the moment.

None of Chris' group was armed. Vin, usually lethal only using his body, was weak from the surgery and blood loss.

The tension in the room was growing when, expectantly, a cell phone rang. Averill's head whipped around and saw it was Ezra's. He went over and took the phone out of Ezra's pocket and put the phone on speaker.

"Ezra, darling," Maude's voice purred on the phone.

"Mother?" Ezra was conscious of a pistol pointing to Vin and Josiah. "Uh, Mother, I am just a little tied up right now."

"But Ezra, I was just calling with some information. I made a large donation to Connelly Hospital, and found a retired nursery nurse who worked at the hospital until ten years ago. And with a few of her favorite martinis, her tongue was loosened."

"Mother," Ezra squirmed in his chair. "I appreciate everything you are doing, but this is a very uncomfortable time to talk to you."

The others could hear Maude's laugh as she went on, "The nurse, Edna – isn't that a dreadful name, Ezra? Edna Allen was close to a Bridget Dunne. Poor woman, she worked in the hospital nursery and gave birth to a son that died two weeks later. She was broken-hearted, but came back to work. And that was the time, this mentally unstable woman, Ella Gallagher, gave birth to twins. Her father, Conor Gallagher, was one of the kingpins in the mob."

"Mother," Ezra tried to interrupt.

"Evil mother or not, Edna said the babies were adorable. She showed me a picture of the little boy. The cutest, tiniest little thing! You know, Ezra, you were the ugliest baby I ever saw. The first time I saw you, I screamed. I told the nurses you couldn't possibly be my son."

Poor Ezra looked around at his very interested audience, trying hard not to laugh. Ezra figured he would never hear the end of this.

"Well, Bridget got really attached to the tiny boy. She even nursed him. And Edna thinks the grandfather – this Conor Gallagher, hired her to watch the baby. So this Bridget cared for the baby for the next two months. Then Conor Gallagher was murdered – the case is still unsolved, and Bridget and the baby vanished. Isn't this just like a novel, Ezra? The case of the missing baby!"

"Well done, Mother," Ezra said as he noticed Averill motioning to him to wrap it up. "I'll even overlook your remarks about me being a less than perfect baby. My cousin Ross looked even worse, if you remember. I really need to go, Mother, and I love you very much. Currently, I seem to be tied up with other information."

"Well, Ezra, I'll go! I think I would like some more of those martinis!" Maude laughed loudly.

Ezra winched, "Well, don't forget the olives. Goodbye." And Averill clicked the phone off.

Averill turned to the others. "The tiny baby that Bridget Dunne took was JD. JD is my son and unfortunately, Ella is his mother.. And now that I have found him, I want to claim him."

"Over my dead body," Buck growled.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea, Wilmington. But not yet."

"So what do you want, Averill?" Chris ground out, eyes fixed on "Handsome" Jack's face.

"A trade, Mr. Larabee. Your child for mine."

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

There was a stunned silence in the room. Chris took a step forward, green eyes blazing. "My child? You expect me to hand over JD like he's a puppy? For a child, that as far as I know, doesn't exist?"

A knowing smirk again. "Oh, your child does exist. Your child was born 21 years ago. That baby did not die. Gallagher took the child from Ella; told her the baby died. He did not want Ella to contaminate the child. But the child was yours, Larabee, and he did not want his heir to be a child of yours. So your child was kept in case there was no other heir. Gallagher wanted a son by Conor, Jr. Ella's child or children would be next. Unfortunately for him, Ella's first child was fathered by you. Still not acceptable for Conor Gallagher. But at last – Ella had a son and I was the father. More acceptable. But the baby was so premature; he didn't know if that baby will live. So your child is kept as an alternative."

"We are not talking about pure bred dogs! We're talking about children!"

Fists clenched, an enraged Chris snapped. "And you are not getting your filthy hands on JD! He's a great kid. Often naive, but smart, caring, with a good heart, which is nothing like you!" Chris took a threatening step towards Averill.

"Does JD look even slightly like you, Larabee?" Averill countered. "Think about that. His dark hair, white skin, clearly of Irish heritage. Whereas your child is blond with green eyes. Like you."

Adam! Chris thought of with a start. Adam had dark brown hair and blue

eyes. Just like Sarah. Startled, he realized if Adam lived, he would be fifteen now. What if JD were his son? Adam definitely got his looks from his mother. Touches of Chris were in Adam's smile, his nose and ears. In the way he would cock his head to the right if he was perturbed. Adam had begged him for brothers. Adam wanted both an older brother and a younger brother. An older one to teach him things. A younger one to boss around. Sarah had laughed until her sides hurt at the solemn way Adam had asked for brothers. He could see the scene now and the

sharp pain hit him like a hammer. Chris sank to the couch.

"Chris?" Buck was there in a flash. Chris was one of the strongest men Buck had ever known except in the case of his loved ones. He knew that look on Chris' face all too well. The same look he always had when remembering Sarah and Adam.

Chris' mind was spinning. JD. Adam. Another child, possibly. Chris craved a drink and his hands shook.

While Averill, Chris, and Buck were busy sparring, Vin moaned slightly and Don went over to kneel beside him. Vin's eyes were still full of hate, but Don quietly slipped a small pistol under Vin's blanket. Vin, puzzled, stared at Don who adjusted the bandages, and said cheerfully, "That will keep it from bleeding," and then stepped back. Vin's blue eyes locked on Ezra's green ones and he knew Ezra had seen the exchange.

Josiah, who had been quiet through most of the action, was worried. Ezra had been trying quietly to untie his ropes. Both were concerned about the situation exploding. Averill had four armed men plus himself. Ella had three, and she was so unpredictable; no one could know what she would do. Josiah worried about JD's state of mind. Nathan was still in the bedroom with JD, and was there to watch him. Buck and Chris would take turns to go in and out. Josiah could see the strain Chris was under. And with him and Ezra tied up and Vin still weak . . .

Averill was tired of the bickering. He motioned to his goons who covered the men. "Victor!" he called. "I'm taking my son. Go get him!"

Victor nodded and strode toward the bedroom.

There was a "No!" from Nathan, a struggle, and then the sounds of Nathan falling to the floor, groaning.

Chris and Buck were held back by the guns pointing at them. Victor, to their horror, had picked up JD, still asleep, and brought him to Averill.

"You are not taking him!" Buck screamed while Chris struggled to remain calm.

"Their doc had to be knocked out," Victor informed Averill.

"Larabee is lucky none of his men are dead," Averill sneered.

Don stepped forward. "Let me check JD," he urged. "Make sure his vitals are okay."

Averill looked at JD and nodded to Victor to put JD on the couch.

"You had a chance to find your child," Averill said to Chris. "Now you will never know," he taunted.

With a roar, Chris charged at Averill, knocking him over. Buck tried to pull Chris back; Victor went to defend Averill while his other two goons watched. Averill fell back against lamp table which crashed to the floor, Stuart took advantage of the situation and jerked JD up, holding his gun to JD's head.

"Hold it!" Stuart yelled. He fired a shot near Ezra and Josiah.

Everyone stopped where they were. Stuart's eyes were hard and cold. "I don't care whose kid this is. I don't even like him and would be happy to put a couple of bullets in him. But I do want the money Ella promised me and I'm going to take it. The kid's coming too, so none of you will try to follow me."

"You hurt him in any way and I will never stop looking for you," Buck growled.

"Put JD down now," Chris added menacingly.

Averill started forward.

"Back, Averill!" Stuart hollered. "I don't care about you and I don't care about your kid. If you do, stay back!"

Ezra and Josiah resumed frantic efforts to untie their ropes and Vin, still dizzy, kept a watch for a chance to drop Stuart, though now he was worried about shooting JD by accident.

"Sit down," Stuart motioned to Chris, Buck and Averill. "Averill, tell your men to drop their guns or I'll shoot your supposed kid."

"Do it," Averill ordered Victor and his other two men and Chris and Buck sat down on the sofa.

"Ella!" Stuart yelled as Bill came beside him, covering the others with his gun. "Ella, give Bill and me the money you promised or your precious son dies along with Larabee!"

JD stirred in Stuart's arms and hazel eyes blinked at the scene in front of him. "Buck?" he asked in bewilderment.

'It's okay, Kid, just be still," Buck soothed.

Ella walked to the bedroom door, saw Stuart holding a gun to JD's head and began screaming. "Let my son go! I'll have you dropped in boiling oil! I'll feed you to crocodiles! I'll have you thrown off the Empire State building!" she screeched.

Don moved to try to hold onto her but Ella was like a woman possessed. She wriggled free and picked up anything near her to throw at them.

Vases, paperweights, and other solid objects pelted the others. One heavy paperweight hit Ezra in the head, stunning him as blood began flowing from a cut.

"Let my son go!" she screeched again as a frustrated Stuart backed up near the fireplace. He couldn't kill Ella until he got the money.

Stuart addressed Averill. "If you want this brat, you give me all the money you have!"

Buck was becoming frantic at Stuart holding the gun to JD's head, afraid it could go off at any time.

Bill, standing beside him, and still pointing a gun toward Chris and Buck, yelled, "Get the money, Ella, right now, or your baby boy gets a bullet!"

"Ella, please!" Chris shouted, getting up. "Ella, don't let them hurt JD. Give them the money you promised and let them go! Then you and I and JD will be a family!"

Ella stopped, looked at Chris, and then went back to her bedroom to lug out two briefcases. "Here is the money. You let my son go, you bastard!"

Stuart gestured with his head to the cases. "Bill, grab the briefcases. We'll take the kid with us."

"No!" Ella screamed. Enraged, she picked up a bottle of whiskey and threw it towards Bill. It missed, and the whiskey bottle smashed into the hearth, causing the flames to explode outwards. Smoke filled the room, and flames shot out across the rug to travel to a nearby curtain, catching it on fire.

Chris leaped for Bill, whose shirt had caught alight and Buck went after Stuart. Chris felled Bill with one blow and Stuart, trying to take advantage of all the distractions, shoved JD into Buck, grabbed the briefcases and ran for the door.

One of Averill's goons aimed his gun at Chris. Vin fired, killing the man.

As the flames in the rug blazed towards them, Vin quickly went to work to free Josiah and Ezra. A second man shot/fired and hit Ezra in the leg. An enraged Josiah broke a chair over him.

Josiah dragged Ezra, who had gone down, toward the front door while Vin kept an eye on the action, but all three were beginning to choke on the smoke. Buck, coughing, was holding JD when Ella, who had picked up one of the dropped guns began shooting. One bullet hit Buck in the leg. Buck cried out and Averill took the opportunity to snatch up JD before Chris could stop him. JD, alarmed at the commotion, struggled weakly, crying, "Buck! Buck, help me!"

"Buck!" Ella's expression showed revulsion as she turned her attention and her gun towards Buck. "Buck! You are always getting in my way. Keeping me from killing that woman who took Chris from me! And now, you are the one my son cries for! I'm going to kill you and you can no longer be in my way!"

"Ella, no!" Chris cried.

JD, horrified, kicked and bit Averill and managed to get free. He ran towards Ella, screaming, "Mom! Mom, please don't, Buck is like my brother!"

Ella's finger was already pulling the trigger as JD desperately ran between Buck and the gun.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Time seemed to slow down. Chris, in desperation moved to grab the gun from Ella, but the flames were too fierce to cross.

Buck was yelling, "No, JD, no!"

Ella stared at JD as the gun went off, hitting JD on his right side. Blood stained his shirt. JD, shocked, looked down at his side, and gave a startled, "Ohhh," while dropping to the carpet.

"JD!" Buck screamed, dragging himself over to where JD lay. "You crazy bitch! You shot JD!"

Buck pulled JD's head into his lap. Ella screamed, as Chris braved the flames and knocked the gun out of her hand.

A loud knock on the door and a call, "Denver Police Department!" and two young officers entered the room with their weapons drawn. "Everyone, set down your weapons and put your hands on your head!"

Chris stood up and dropped the gun. "Larabee, ATF! We need ambulances, my men are hurt!"

"Your badge!" barked the young man.

Chris got it out slowly.

"Larabee's Magnificent Seven. I've heard of them," the female officer said. "Agent Larabee, you can pick up the gun. Identify your men, Dan, try to get that fire out."

"I'll help, I'm Sanchez, ATF!" and Josiah stomped on the flames while Dan pulled a curtain down and beat at the fire.

"Nathan!" Josiah remembered the downed EMT as he glanced into the bedroom, and he quickly picked up Nathan and deposited him on the couch.

"Call for several ambulances and the fire department." Chris ordered, kneeling by both Buck and JD. "Nathan?" he started to ask, and then saw Nathan was still out. Don quietly stepped up, doing what he could to stop the bleeding and bind up the wounds. With Chris by JD and Buck; Josiah busy with Nathan, and Vin struggling with Ezra; Averill's last goon moved towards the door and as the female officer turned towards him, they simultaneously fired. The goon went down and as Averill tried to ease towards the door, the officer moved to cover him. "Sit in that chair and don't move."

"They'll be here in about ten minutes, Jaelyn," Dan said to his partner."You hurt?"

"Graze."

"What's wrong with that woman?" Dan pointed towards a collapsed and wailing Ella.

Chris looked up. "That's Ella Gaines. She kidnapped one of my agents and was holding us here. She is mentally ill and needs to be locked up!" he said with venom, looking at all his injured agents. "Him, too," he finished, pointing at Averill. "He's . . ."

"Handsome Jack Averill," the female officer smiled, knowingly. "How does he fit into all of this?"

"He was trying to take this boy, here. He claims JD is his son." Chris said, trying to soothe both JD and Buck.

"Needing to pay off some gambling debts, Averill? Wouldn't be the first time he has tried to get control of the Gallagher fortune."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Chris said bitterly, "Officer?" trying to look at the nametag.

"Officer Kelton. Jaelyn Kelton. My partner is Dan McKinsey." She nodded to Dan. "Cuff Averill, Dan."

"With pleasure," McKinsey replied. After cuffing a glaring Averill, he kept an eye on Ella.

Officer Kelton moved to kneel by JD and Buck. "Stealing a kid, now. Pretty low even for you, Averill."

"I didn't kidnap anyone and I have not committed a crime. You need to let me go." Averill's hazel eyes stared at the amused green eyes of the young female officer.

"Tell it to the judge," she said and turned away from him. "Is the kid going to be all right?"

Chris, looking at the young officer, almost smiled. He would have bet the officers were only slightly older than JD. But it disappeared as he looked over at Nathan, unconscious on the couch; Vin by the front door, and panting in pain as he was trying to staunch the bleeding in Ezra's leg; Josiah, apparently still troubled by his concussion; Buck, pain showing in his eyes and heart, and the still and bleeding JD.

Ambulance sirens sounded nearer and nearer, and McKinsey went out to direct and brief the paramedics. The wounded were attended to and put in ambulances, while Averill and Ella's surviving goons were put in the police cars.

Denver General Hospital's staff was used to seeing a member of Team Seven and sometimes two, but seeing six of the seven agents brought through the ER was daunting. Dr. Martinez and Dr. Willow were busy assessing the various injuries. Ella had been sedated and was in one of the hospital rooms.

JD had been rushed to surgery and was now out of recovery and in Room 277. Vin, who had to have his stitches redone and was now in with Josiah, kept repeating that he was fine, though everyone though it was obvious he was still suffering the effects of his earlier injuries. Buck and Ezra were still in surgery and Nathan was being x-rayed to check on his head injury.

Chris sat with JD. "Sorry Buck can't be here for you now, Kid, guess I'll have to do."

"Agent Larabee?" The young female officer stuck her head in through the door.

"Officer Kelton. Come in. I never asked how you knew there was trouble and what location it was." Chris said, drawing his fingers through his hair.

She smiled, pushing back her long dark hair. "A Maude Standish called the PD insisting her son Ezra Standish was in trouble. She seemed very intoxicated, but said Ezra never said he loved her; knew she hated olives; and referred to himself as being tied up. Also, that Ezra didn't have a cousin Ross. She mentioned Ella Gallagher; so we began checking any houses that were associated with her. Dan and I just happened to be covering the area she used to own."

"A real nightmare, Officer Kelton. And I'm afraid this young man caught the worst of it."

"Chris?" Orin Travis was standing in the doorway. "I know this is a bad time, but there is paperwork to fill out, and I'm afraid it can't wait."

Chris started to snap at Travis, thought better of it, and grudgingly got up. The sooner it was done, the sooner he could be with his team.

Chris turned to the young officer. "Can you stay with him?"

"Sure. I'm injured, and they want to check on my again."

Chris turned in surprise. "Are you hurt?"

"Grazed. I'll be fine."

Chris smiled, sadly. "JD always says that when he's hurt. Thanks."

After they left, Officer Kelton walked over and sat down by JD. She squeezed his hand, pushed his hair back, and then took a few pieces of paper out of her pocket. "Baby two," she said softly. "You were so fortunate to have Aunt Bridget to take care of you. I wonder if Gallagher ever realized Bridget Dunne was his daughter by his first wife, Rachel. Rachel fled with her toddler and was presumed dead. Gallagher had not moved back to Boston when Bridget moved back. What a coincidence Ella had you at Connelly Hospital, and Aunt Bridget fell in love with the tiny baby boy. She must have jumped at the chance to care for you. And from what we know, when Gallagher was killed, Bridget took you as her son. Being a Gallagher is not good for anyone. And to have Averill claiming he is your father . . ." She shook her head, gazing at the slack face before her. "And now, apparently, the DNA test."

The young officer looked at the sealed bag holding a few dark hairs and a small tube of blood. She looked over at her bandaged arm, which had stopped bleeding. Then she sat by JD in silence, deep in thought.

A few minutes later, Nurse Laura Atkins, bustled in the room, checking JD's vitals and the IV.

"How is he doing?" Officer Kelton asked.

"I've learned this one has problems with anesthesia. Usually one of his fellow agents, especially Buck Wilmington waits here with JD."

The nurse smiled at Officer Kelton. "Do you know JD?"

Officer Kelton smiled. "My partner and I were helping at the scene."

"I'm sure all of the agents are grateful. Officer, your right arm appears to be bleeding! Have you had it looked at?"

"No, I'm sure it's nothing."

"Well, I'll check it anyway." Nurse Atkins proceeded to clean and put another bandage on her arm.

"Thank you."

Nurse Atkins started towards the door, and stopped, exclaiming, "Oh, I almost forget – the hair and blood sample. I had to leave them for an emergency. I'll take them to the lab."

Officer Kelton sat by JD, watching for any sign, from him, deep in thought.

After several minutes, Josiah Sanchez stepped into the room, his head bandaged. The young officer didn't seem to notice.

Josiah cleared his throat, and she turned. "Agent Sanchez, are you all right?"

Josiah pulled up the other chair and sat down, grimacing slightly. "I wasn't injured at the house. Had a run-in with a car a few days back. So I still ache, but don't need any doctoring. They have been watching me because I had a concussion."

"I'm glad. Have you heard anything about the rest of the team?"

"Nathan has a concussion, but luckily no fracture of the skull. If he could, he would be here, fussing over JD and then the others. Chris is busy with paperwork."

"He asked me to stay with JD until he got back."

"Thank you. Ezra and Buck are still in surgery, and Vin is having his previous injuries re-stitched and covered."

"Will everyone be okay?"

"Should be. Nothing appears life threatening, the doctors assured me. As for as their mental states . . ."

"You're the profiler."

"Yes."

She smiled. "The Magnificent Seven are well known in the PD. So . . . do

you think JD will be all right?"

Josiah said thoughtfully. "Physically, yes. Mentally . . . his whole world has been shattered. Who he thought he was . . . who his parents were . . . was thrown into chaos. Chris said they are doing DNA tests."

"Yes. I got to be a witness to the samples being taken from Ella Gallagher and Jack Averill." She smiled briefly, remembering the resentment in Averill's eyes. She also had looked down at the sedated Ella in silence. "The DNA samples are on a rush - one of the technicians in the lab is a friend of mine – and when they are done, there should be closure."

She cocked her head to the right, indicating to JD. "Tell about me about JD, please. I'm sorry if I should say, Agent Dunne, but he looks so young – is he really nineteen?"

Josiah talked about JD, his exuberance, his technical expertise, his "adoption" by Buck Wilmington, and his determination to become a full-fledged agent with Team Seven. "He has been given Agent-in-Training status – something Travis has never consented to before. But Chris had run off so many techs, I think Travis, after seeing how happy the team was with JD, would have agreed to about anything."

Both laughed at that.

Officer Dan McKinsey knocked and stuck his head in the door. "Jaelyn? If you're through here, Captain Lopez is foaming at the mouth to get all the paperwork."

She stood up and they both shook hands with Josiah. "Agent Sanchez, do you mind keeping us informed about the others?"

"Sure. Chris might even invite you to the ranch."

Both smiled. "Jaelyn, I still wish you'd go back to being a blonde," Dan said, frowning at the dark hair.

"Then we'll go back to being called 'the twins'", she reminded him. She hesitated, and went to JD's side while Josiah talked with Dan

"Rest well, JD. It will work out fine." Since neither man was watching, she planted a quick kiss on his forehead. "Dan, let's check in on Ella and Averill."

"Averill's here?" Josiah asked.

"Getting some minor injuries checked and for the DNA test."

"I hope he is not JD's father," Josiah said fervently.

"We'll pray about it," both officers said together and then smiled at each other.

Josiah sat by JD's bedside and prayed for JD to be strong with whatever the results are.

Ella was still sedated in her room when the officers peaked in. Averill was grumbling about his scratches and bruises.

"Afraid you won't be called "Handsome" Jack anymore?" Dan quipped.

"I hate needles. No need to test everyone. JD will turn out to be my son. They could take my word for it."

"Your word isn't worth anything, Averill. And I wouldn't be so sure. You just want the Gallagher fortune. Nice raccoon eyes," Jaelyn Kelton taunted as she left the room.

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

As usual, when released from the hospital, Chris insisted everyone stay at his ranch. Nathan, recovered from his concussion, was back to fussing at everyone but Chris and Josiah, who had fully recovered from his concussion.

Ezra was still limping when Nathan wasn't scolding him and making him sit down in the recliner. Ezra's forehead still showed bruising from the paperweight Ella hit him with and of course he became the focus of teasing from Maude's drunken statement about him being the ugliest baby.

The latest challenge was for everyone to produce their baby picture and have an independent panel reveal them for cuteness. Ezra was privately contemplating burning his baby pictures.

Chris had praised Ezra for his cleverness in sending clues to Maude without alarming Averill. Ezra had frankly been surprised that a very tipsy Maude had picked up on the clues, and was secretly pleased by her concern for him.

And then there was Buck and JD. Buck, recovering from his gunshot in the leg, was also limping and the focus of Nathan's ire. Buck didn't protest much as he sat by his roommate on the couch.

JD was unnaturally quiet, and the other men were gentle with him. JD, both anxious to know the results of the DNA test, and dreading them as well, lacked his usual enthusiasm.

Vin stayed close as well. He never forgot how JD shielded him with his body to keep Vin from being shot again. JD had not known the men were not going to harm him. For all he knew, JD could have been shot or killed, but he was more concerned with protecting Vin. Vin's injuries had pretty much healed and he chaffed at Nathan's attempts to keep him still.

"I wish I could go riding," JD confided to Vin as Buck was napping in one of the bedrooms.

"Me, too, Kid. Don't see why I can't. But Nathan says it could bust my stitches open. He ain't keepin' me from eatin' tho. You want something to eat or drink? Got a whole package of double-stuffed Oreos. Well, I might have eaten a few."

JD smiled, remembering the tussle they had in the kitchen several days ago over the Oreos.

"I gotta protect you from stuffing marshmallows in your mouth again. Man, I wish I had a picture of that. Didn't think your cheeks could expand anymore."

"Couldn't let you get ahold of them," JD smiled. Then he sighed. "If I could do more, I wouldn't be thinking so much, Vin. My mind is still spinning, you know? From no father to a possibility of three. Thinking my father didn't want me to three men laying claim to me. And if Ella Gaines is my mother . . ." and JD shuddered.

"Remember your Mom – who raised you - did a great job. Wish my mom had lived. Gotta say I envy you, that, Kid."

"Sorry, Vin, I know you lost your Mom way too soon. I loved Mom. She was the best Mom I could ask for. I missed having a father, but she was wonderful. I know how fortunate I was that I had her up until last year."

"Yeah, I'd say so, Kid."

JD grabbed his pillow, fluffed it up and then lay back. "I want it to be over with – and yet I dread what I'll find out."

"Always better to know the truth, John Dunne," Josiah said, pulling up a chair. "Once you do, you can go from there."

"We should know shortly, JD," Nathan said.

"And no test results can change who you are at your core, JD," Ezra encouraged.

"Try to get rid of your older brother," Buck teased while ruffling the dark hair.

"Or your leader," Chris added. "JD, I for one, would be honored with a son like you."

Feeling the support of his six big brothers made JD feel warm inside. Whatever happened, he would always have them. His family.

In a rare moment, Chris spread his arms. "This – right here – is the family I want."

At that moment, a green Impala drove up the driveway. Officer Jaelyn Kelton, dressed casually in jeans and a green shirt got out, along with her partner, Dan McKinsey.

Since meeting at Ella's old house, the two officers had been out to Chris' ranch a couple of times.

"Hello, hope we are not interrupting," Dan called out.

"Not at all, come in," Chris said. "Need a drink?"

"Beer for me," Dan replied.

"Coke for me," Jaelyn added. In her hand she held some papers and what appeared as a small book. After drinking some, Jaelyn stood in front of JD.

"Thought you might want to know that Don Porter will testing against Stuart and Bill. He really seems sorry for everything." Jaelyn announced.

"What about Ella?" Chris asked.

Dan shook his head. "She is mentally ill and any charges against her –

well, she'll be institutionalized again."

"I hope she never gets out again," Buck said bitterly.

"Averill?" Chris asked, patting Buck on the shoulder.

"Made bail, but the D.A. doesn't know if any charges will stand against him. Averill didn't kidnap anyone and was convinced JD was his son. His defense will be he was only trying to protect his son." Jaelyn turned to JD and held out a small book.

"JD, someone found – I don't know who – this diary. It's your mother's. I thought you might want it and it would explain some of your history to you."

JD took the diary with trembling fingers. "How do you know so much about

the Gallaghers?"

Jaelyn smiled grimly. "I was in Boston for several years and the Gallaghers were well-known. I've always been interested in solving the murder of Conor, Sr. And Averill – again, through the police department. We've had our eyes on him for a while."

"You seem very ambitious, Jaelyn," Ezra observed.

"Let's just say I have a vested interest," she shrugged. "And, I hope you don't mind, but here is your mail and I thought – well, it might be important."

An understatement, as three envelopes were from Denver Hospital.

JD had been staring at the diary, unable to read it, and now had his envelope handed to him. Buck took his and Chris as well. The hands of all three were slightly trembling.

"Should we leave?" Dan asked.

"Would you like to go for a ride?" Ezra suggested, knowing both loved horses and realizing the others needed some privacy.

"Is that okay, Mr. Larabee?" Jaelyn asked.

Chris did not look up from his envelope but nodded.

After they left and rode off, Chris looked at his men. "No matter what is in these envelopes, it stays here. Those two have promised secrecy and I trust them."

Buck, unable to wait another moment, tore into his and sighed. "I am not related to you, JD, but I will always love you like the little brother I never had, and that's good enough for me if it is good enough for you."

JD reached out to Buck and they hugged, JD burying his head in Buck's shirt. Neither wanted to break the hug, but finally Buck stepped back and motioned to JD.

"Same time JD?" Chris asked as calmly as he could.

JD could only nod. Both tore into their papers, read silently and then both pair of eyes met.

"JD," Chris said brokenly.

"Chris?" JD asked. "Is this true?"

"Tell us!" Buck demanded, half-crazy from waiting.

JD gave his to Nathan as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Nathan took a moment or two and then smiled.

"JD, while your birth mother is Ella Gallagher; your father is Chris Larabee."

Tears leaked from JD's eyes and even Chris' green eyes glistened.

The rest of the team moved away so Chris could get close to JD. JD was sitting up, eyes shining as he looked up at his hero. JD stood up timidly; but Chris reached and drew the young man in a hug and didn't let go for a couple of minutes.

"Adam would have loved you," Chris said brokenly. "Sarah, too."

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Chris?" JD was still trying to process the information.

"I'm more than okay." Chris took JD's head in his hands and smiled.

"Let's celebrate with a toast to father and son!" Buck suggested boisterously.

The others cheered.

"Champagne for everyone, then," Ezra said. "I brought some in case and it has been chilling in the refrigerator. Of course if Mr. Larabee had a wine cellar, that would be better."

Seven glasses were brought out, Vin mischievously saying, "Dad?" as he handed a glass to JD.

JD's hazel eyes were sparkling as he looked over at Chris.

Chris looked over at his new son. "Only a few sips, JD. And ONLY on this occasion," he said sternly to the others. "And Travis or anyone else better not hear about this, or someone will be cleaning my stables for a month."

A joyous toast followed to the new father and son.

Backs were slapped and hugs were freely given, but after the fifth time Buck slapped Chris saying, "You ole' Stud, you," Chris threatened Buck with, "Buck if you slap me in the back one more time, I'm gonna invite three or four of your girlfriends to your condo - at the same time."

"Why stop at that? How about ten?" JD teased, getting a head slap from Buck as everyone laughed.

Chris put his arm around JD. "Good one, Son."

The group moved outside, watching the sunset.

Jaelyn and Dan rode up, taking note of the happy group, six still drinking champagne, the youngest a soda.

"It's a celebration. Want some champagne? Truly the best because our Ezra only buys the finest." Chris laughed.

"He should know, he's almost drank one bottle already and that should make him an expert," Ezra grumbled, though without rancor.

Nathan came out with two more glasses and Jaelyn and Dan took them. Jaelyn sipped slowly, but Dan tossed it down, to Ezra's disgust.

Dan gratefully took another glass laughingly and tried to be a little more civilized, but Jaelyn declined.

"We should go, and let this celebration continue," Dan said after getting a nudge in his leg. "I'll get the car started while you finish your glass." He paused. "Congratulations, and we will not let anyone else find out about this happy occasion."

Jaelyn took a few more sips then handed the empty glass to Chris. "Thanks for the ride and champagne."

As she turned, JD stood up. "Can I walk you to the car?"

"Sure."

JD was quiet for a minute. "Thank you for the diary. I feel up to reading it now."

"I'm sure it will help you. Bridget Dunne, from all I know, was a wonderful woman." At the car, JD opened the door.

Jaelyn gave him a searching look. "Are you happy, JD?"

JD nodded his head shyly, glancing back at his "family" on the porch.

"That's all that matters," Jaelyn said so quietly JD couldn't hear her.

JD shut the door and Dan drove off. JD waved and then walked back to his smiling friends. JD had a slight frown.

"Anything wrong, JD?" Chris asked quickly.

"No, it's just that . . . well, shouldn't Jaelyn be driving? Dan had three glasses of champagne."

Jaelyn apparently thought so, too, so she made Dan pull over as he smoothed down his curly blond hair.

"Tomorrow, I think, I'll go back to being a blonde." Jaelyn commented.

"Twins again. Think we could ever get lucky enough to work with a group like Team Seven?" Dan asked, looking back at the ranch.

"I'd like that," Jaelyn said softly.

Back on the porch, JD began reading Bridget Dunne's diary.

The End

Thanks to Sue for Betaing this and thanks to Marla Robinson for her Agent-in-Training story for JD!


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